How It Works
Varenicline is a pill you take that acts
on sites in the brain affected by nicotine. Like nicotine medicines,
varenicline helps with craving and
withdrawal symptoms. But it also blocks the effects of
nicotine from tobacco. If you start smoking again while taking varenicline, the
medicine lowers the sense of satisfaction you get from smoking, improving the
chances that you will quit.
Varenicline does not contain nicotine
and does not help you quit smoking in the same way that nicotine replacement
therapy does.
You start taking varenicline about a week before you
quit smoking, and you take it for a total of 12 to 24 weeks.
Why It Is Used
Doctors prescribe varenicline to help
adults quit smoking. It is not available as an
over-the-counter medicine.
Varenicline
has not been studied in children under age 18 and is not recommended to help
them quit smoking.
How Well It Works
Varenicline doubles or triples the
chances of quitting smoking.1 And it may work
better than other treatments for quitting smoking.
Side Effects
Some of the common side effects
include:
- Nausea and, in rare cases,
vomiting.
- Vivid, strange, or unusual
dreams.
- Constipation.
- Feeling sleepy.
Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away
if you or someone around you notices that you:
- Feel anxious or nervous.
- Feel
upset, tense, or edgy.
- Feel depressed or angry.
- Feel different,
with unusual emotions.
- Behave in ways that are not typical for
you.
- Have suicidal thoughts or actions.
Before you take varenicline, be sure to tell your doctor if
you have ever had a mental illness.
Warning. Health Canada and the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) warn that people who are taking varenicline (Champix) and who experience any serious or unusual changes in mood or behaviour or who feel like hurting themselves or someone else should stop taking the medicine and call a doctor right away. The FDA also warns that varenicline (Champix) may be linked with a small, increased risk of heart problems (including heart attack) in people who have heart disease.
Friends or family members who notice these changes in behaviour in someone who is taking varenicline (Champix) for smoking cessation should tell the person their concerns and advise him or her to stop taking the drug and to call a doctor right away.
Varenicline is not addictive. Tell your doctor about side effects that
bother you or that do not go away.
See Drug Reference for a full
list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)
What To Think About
You start taking varenicline about
a week before you plan to stop smoking. You may notice that you do not get the
same satisfaction from cigarettes during that week. Try not to increase your
smoking to overcome this.
Tell your doctor if you:
- Have kidney problems.
- Are pregnant
or plan to become pregnant.
- Are breast-feeding.
- Have
ever had a mental illness such as
depression or
bipolar disorder.
Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.
References
Citations
- Varenicline (Chantix) for tobacco dependence
(2006). Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics,
48(1241/1242): 66–68.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
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| Primary Medical Reviewer | Brian D. O'Brien, MD - Internal Medicine |
|---|
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | John Hughes, MD - Psychiatry |
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| Last Revised | November 9, 2011 |
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