New Drug Could Make Quitting Smoking Easier

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Smokers who have a hard time kicking the habit now have another option. A new study shows a recently-approved drug, varenicline tartrate (Chantix), is effective at helping smokers quit when combined with limited behavioral counseling.

Smoking ranks as the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. The drugs used to treat the addiction -- including nicotine replacement therapies in the form of gum, tablets and skin patches, and anti-depressant medication -- like bupropion hydrochloride -- are only moderately successful.

Mitchell Nides, Ph.D., from Los Angeles Clinical Trials, and associates from the Varenicline Study Group, studied a group of healthy smokers between 18 and 65 who averaged about 20 cigarettes every day.

The group was divided into three random subgroups. One group received .3 milligrams of varenicline daily, 1 milligram daily or 1 milligram twice a day for six weeks and placebo for the seventh week. The second group received 150 milligrams of bupropion hydrochloride twice each day for seven weeks, and the final group took placebos for the entire seven-week period.

Varenicline was safe in all prescribed doses, and researchers report the higher the dose, the better it worked.

Of those taking 1 milligram of varenicline twice daily, the four-week continuous quit rate was 48 percent, compared to 37.3 percent of those taking 1 milligram daily, 33.3 percent taking bupropion hydrochloride, and 17.1 percent taking placebos. The group taking varenicline had a long-term (four week to a year) quit rate of 14.4 percent, while the placebo group had a less than 5 percent long-term quit rate.

Varenicline releases dopamine more slowly than smoking does, therefore decreasing the risk for abuse of the drug.

"The significant reductions in craving and in some of the rewarding effects of smoking seen with varenicline tartrate, 1 milligram twice daily, may assist in promoting abstinence and preventing relapse," report researchers.

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, 2006;166:1561-1568