niacin vs simvastatin

According to this portal's Publishing Organization, this page was last reviewed in August 2026 against our methodology. Figures and extracts on this site, including tables above 1,000 rows when the corpus is that large, are the publisher's responsibility.

Side-by-side comparison of niacin and simvastatin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

moderate Known Drug Interaction

Niacin Clinical Impact: Cases of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis have been observed with concomitant use of lipid modifying dosages of niacin-containing products (≥1 gram/day niacin) with ezetimibe and simvastatin. In a clinical trial (median follow-up 3.9 years) of patients at high risk of CVD and with well-controlled LDL-C levels on simvastatin 40 mg/day with or without ezetimibe 10 mg/day, there was no incremental benefit on cardiovascular outcomes with the addition of lipid-modifying doses of niacin Intervention: Concomitant use of ezetimibe and simvastatin with lipid-modifying dosages of...

Drug Class
niacin Vitamin B3 (Lipid-Modifying)
simvastatin HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin)
Type
niacin Over-the-Counter
simvastatin Prescription
Summary
niacin

This medicine is a multivitamin with fluoride. It helps prevent tooth decay and provides essential vitamins.

simvastatin

No summary available.

What It Treats
niacin

This medicine is for children ages 4 and up who don't get enough fluoride in their drinking water. It helps prevent tooth decay. It also gives you ten important vitamins to avoid vitamin deficiencies.

simvastatin

Information not available.

How It Works
niacin

The fluoride in this medicine strengthens your teeth to protect them from decay. The vitamins help your body work properly and stay healthy.

simvastatin

Information not available.

Common Side Effects
niacin

No common side effects listed.

simvastatin
  • Headache
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Muscle pain
  • Diarrhea
FAERS Reports
niacin
  • Fatigue 750
  • Nausea 671
  • Diarrhoea 630
  • Dizziness 546
  • Dyspnoea 530
simvastatin
  • Fatigue 13,574
  • Nausea 12,945
  • Dyspnoea 12,431
  • Diarrhoea 11,813
  • Dizziness 10,971
Serious Warnings
niacin

There are no serious warnings listed for this medication.

simvastatin

No specific warnings noted.

Pregnancy
niacin

This medication is for children. Consult a doctor for information about vitamin and fluoride supplements during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

simvastatin

No pregnancy information available.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This niacin vs simvastatin Comparison

niacin is classified in the Vitamin B3 (Lipid-Modifying) drug class, while simvastatin sits within the HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, niacin has 3,127 submissions while simvastatin has 61,734. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to taking high doses of niacin (1 gram or more per day) along with simvastatin can increase the risk of severe muscle damage.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for niacin or simvastatin.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.