The present invention relates to 
solid pharmaceutical combinations for 
oral administration comprising nicotinic acid or a nicotinic acid compound or mixtures thereof in an 
extended release form and an HMG-CoA 
reductase inhibitor, which are useful for altering lipid levels in subjects suffering from, for example, 
hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, without causing 
drug-induced hepatotoxicity, 
myopathy or rhabdomyolysis. The present invention also relates to methods of altering serum lipids in subjects to treat, for example, 
hyperlipidemia in hyperlipidemics, lipidemia in normolipidemics diagnosed with or predisposed to cardiovascular 
disease, and atherosclerosis, by administering such oral 
solid pharmaceutical combinations once per day as a single 
dose during the 
evening hours, without causing 
drug-induced hepatotoxicity, 
myopathy or rhabdomyolysis, or without causing in at least an appreciable number of individuals 
drug-induced hepatotoxicity, 
myopathy or rhabdomyolysis to such a level that 
discontinuation of such therapy would be required. More particularly, the present invention concerns oral 
solid pharmaceutical combinations comprised of, for example, (1) an HMG-CoA 
reductase inhibitor for immediate or 
extended release, (2) nicotinic acid, a nicotinic acid compound or mixtures thereof, and (3) a swelling agent to form a sustained release composition for 
extended release of the nicotinic acid or nicotinic acid compound or mixtures thereof for nocturnal or 
evening dosing for reducing serum lipids and increasing HDL-
cholesterol. In accordance with the present invention, and by way of example, a composition for 
oral administration during the 
evening hours to alter serum lipids comprised of nicotinic acid and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in the form of an extended or 
sustained release tablet or caplet coated with a 
coating comprising an HMG-CoA 
reductase inhibitor in 
immediate release form is disclosed. Also in accordance with the present invention, the pharmaceutical combinations may include a 
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent for reducing the capacity of nicotinic acid or nicotinic acid compounds to provoke flushing reactions in individuals.