14 DAY TRIAL // Varenicline, otherwise known as Chantix in the US or Champix in Canada, Europe and other countries, was introduced nearly a decade ago. The prescription drug, marketed by American multinational pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer, is designed to treat nicotine addiction.
It does so by stimulating nicotine receptors and, in turn, reducing cravings and making cigarettes or other tobacco products less pleasurable than they usually would be.
Since its introduction in December 2006, there have been some reports saying that varenicline can increase a person's risk of suffering a potentially deadly heart attack. There's also been talk that the drug can raise depression risk, maybe even push people to self-harm and suicide.
A new report in the journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, however, argues that these are just unfounded rumors and that, contrary to what's been said over the years, this so-called quit-smoking drug does not make people more vulnerable to heart attacks or depression.
There is no evidence to link the drug to either of these side effects
As part of their investigation, researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Düsseldorf, together with their colleagues at the Maastricht University, the University College London and the Harvard Medical School, closely followed more than 150,000 smokers over a period of time of 6 months.
The smokers were monitored for symptoms of cardiovascular trouble or possible signs of depression after first having been prescribed varenicline, another anti-smoking drug dubbed bupropion or other nicotine replacement therapy such as patches or chewing gum to help them ditch the habit.
The research team says that, during the 6 months that they kept tabs on the study participants' overall wellbeing and mental health, they could not find any evidence that the ones who had been prescribed varenicline were more at risk when it comes to suffering a heart attack or becoming seriously depressed.
“On the basis of our extensive analysis, we believe it is highly unlikely that varenicline has any significant adverse effects on cardiac or mental health,” researcher Aziz Sheikh with the University of Edinburgh explained in an interview, as cited EurekAlert.
Hence, the scientists urge that the drug be prescribed to more people looking to quit smoking. Especially since, as confirmed by investigations carried out over the years, smoking is a sure killer.
“Smokers typically lose three months of life expectancy for every year of continued smoking. Our research supports the use of varenicline as an effective and safe tool to help people quit,” said specialist Daniel Kotz with the University of Düsseldorf.