What is Varenicline
Varenicline is a nicotine receptor agonist for aid in smoking cessation. Varenicline is a potent and competitive partial agonist at nicotinic receptors.
Varenicline is effective because it provides some nicotine effects to help with nicotine withdrawal symptoms while also blocking the effects of nicotine if the user were to relapse.
Most other smoking cessation therapies either try to replace nicotine or mimic the effects of nicotine by inhibiting dopamine reuptake. Varenicline was evaluated in 3,659 chronic smokers (about 21 cigarettes per day for 25 years) in 6 premarketing clinical trials.
Brand Name
Chantix
Indications
- tobacco cessation
For use as an adjunct to psychosocial interventions for tobacco cessation (smoking cessation)
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- abnormal dreams
- acne vulgaris
- agitation
- amnesia
- anemia
- angina
- angioedema
- anorexia
- anxiety
- appetite stimulation
- arthralgia
- atopic dermatitis
- atrial fibrillation
- atrial flutter
- back pain
- blurred vision
- bradycardia
- bronchospasm
- cataracts
- chest pain (unspecified)
- chills
- cholecystitis
- complex sleep-related behaviors
- conjunctivitis
- constipation
- depression
- diabetes mellitus
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- dysarthria
- dysgeusia
- dyspepsia
- dysphagia
- dyspnea
- edema
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- emotional lability
- epistaxis
- eructation
- erythema
- erythema multiforme
- esophagitis
- ethanol intoxication
- euphoria
- fatigue
- fever
- flatulence
- gastritis
- gastroesophageal reflux
- GI bleeding
- GI obstruction
- hallucinations
- headache
- hearing loss
- hostility
- hot flashes
- hyperglycemia
- hyperhidrosis
- hyperlipidemia
- hypoglycemia
- hypokalemia
- impotence (erectile dysfunction)
- insomnia
- irritability
- laryngeal edema
- lethargy
- leukocytosis
- libido decrease
- lymphadenopathy
- mania
- menstrual irregularity
- migraine
- muscle cramps
- musculoskeletal pain
- myalgia
- myocardial infarction
- nausea
- nephrolithiasis
- night blindness
- nightmares
- nocturia
- nystagmus
- ocular irritation
- ocular pain
- oral ulceration
- osteoporosis
- palpitations
- pancreatitis
- paranoia
- parosmia
- peptic ulcer
- peripheral edema
- photophobia
- photosensitivity
- polyuria
- pruritus
- psoriasis
- psychomotor impairment
- psychosis
- pulmonary embolism
- rash
- renal failure (unspecified)
- restless legs syndrome (RLS)
- restlessness
- rhinorrhea
- seizures
- sinus tachycardia
- somnambulism
- splenomegaly
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- stroke
- suicidal ideation
- syncope
- thrombocytopenia
- thrombosis
- tinnitus
- tremor
- urinary retention
- urticaria
- vertigo
- visual impairment
- vomiting
- weight gain
- xerophthalmia
- xerosis
- xerostomia
Monitoring Parameters
- laboratory monitoring not necessary
Contraindications
- angioedema
- behavioral changes
- bipolar disorder
- breast-feeding
- cardiac disease
- children
- complex sleep-related behaviors
- depression
- dialysis
- driving or operating machinery
- ethanol ingestion
- ethanol intoxication
- geriatric
- infants
- myocardial infarction or stroke
- pregnancy
- psychiatric event
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- schizophrenia
- seizures
- serious rash
- suicidal ideation
Interactions
- Cimetidine
- Ethanol
- Lamotrigine
- Ranolazine
- Tafenoquine
