An extended or sustained release composition for oral administration to alter serum lipid levels in an individual without causing drug-induced hepatotoxicity, rhabdomyolysis or myopathy, the composition comprising from 250 mg to 3000 mg of nicotinic acid or a compound metabolised to nicotinic acid by the body selected from the group consisting of nicotinyl alcohol tartrate, d-glucitol hexanicotinate, aluminium nicotinate, niceritrol, d,l-alpha-tocopheryl nicotinate, 6-OH-nicotinic acid, nicotinaria acid, nicotinamide, nicotinamide-N-Oxide, 6-OH-nicotinamide, NAD, N-methyl-2-pyrridine-8-carboxamide, N-methyl-nicotinamide, N-ribosyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxide, N-methyl-4-pyridone-5-carboxamide, bradilian, sorbinicate, hexanicite, ronitol, and methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl alcohol esters of nicotinic acid or combinations thereof, coated with an immediate release coating of from 0.1 mg to 80 mg of an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor.
