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Text Box: There is recent news for those of you looking for a new alternative to assist you in your potentially continual and frustrating smoking cessation battle. In May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new medication that will assist people in quitting smoking. This medication is called ChantixTM (varenicline tartrate) and is being manufactured by Pfizer. ChantixTM is the first new prescription medication for smoking cessation in nearly a decade. How Does ChantixTM Work and What Are the Side Effects? ChantixTM acts on the areas of the brain that are affected by smoking and has two primary actions. First, it provides some of the same effects of nicotine, which may lessen the symptoms of withdrawal for those making an attempt to quit smoking. Withdrawal symptoms due to nicotine reduction and/or elimination from the body can be quite severe for some individuals; thus this medication may prove to increase the rate of successful quit attempts. Interestingly, ChantixTM also blocks the effects of nicotine if an individual were to resume smoking while taking the medication. For smokers that feel a sense of calm and relief when they light up a cigarette, this medication will diminish that effect and take the ‘fun’ out of smoking. The most commonly reported side effect of ChantixTM during clinical trials was nausea. Other side effects include: headache, insomnia, abnormal dreams, gas, constipation, and problems with taste. What is the Typical Treatment Period

Text Box: and Dosing Schedule with ChantixTM? ChantixTM has a typical treatment period of 12 weeks. Dosing and scheduling may vary for the medication depending on your needs and your physician’s recommendations. However, patients will typically start taking ChantixTM one week prior to their chosen quit date, with a dosing schedule as follows: 0.5mg once daily on days 1-3, then 0.5mg twice daily on days 4-7, and then 1mg twice daily for weeks 2-12. Patients who cannot tolerate side effects of ChantixTM may have their dose adjusted. The lower 0.5mg dosage is available as a white tablet, and the higher 1mg dosage is available as a blue tablet. For those patients successful in quitting smoking at the end of 12 weeks, the treatment with ChantixTM may continue another 12 weeks if desired.
How Does ChantixTM Compare to Zyban® (bupropion)? ChantixTM, a nicotine agonist, is a novel medication because it specifically targets nicotine receptors in the brain. This means that its mechanism of action is to work similarly to nicotine in the brain. Because of this nicotine-like action, it helps reduce withdrawal symptoms and can blunt pleasurable effects of smoking. In comparison to the other popular smoking cessation medication, Zyban®, also only available by prescription; ChantixTM seems to work better in helping people quit smoking. The mechanism of Zyban® is not as well understood, but it isn’t suspected to work directly on nicotine receptors in the brain. The dosing for Zyban® is

Text Box: somewhat different as well, where 150mg is taken once daily for 3 days prior to increasing to 150mg taken twice daily. And, Zyban® is recommended for continuous treatment for 7-12 weeks.
Although ChantixTM will not be available for a few months, talk to your pharmacist or physician today for more information about options to assist you in quitting smoking and kicking the habit for good. Ask about whether or not ChantixTM will be a good option for you to consider when it becomes available in the coming months. Also, evaluate what other actions you made need to take in order for your quitting attempt to be more successful. For more information about the new smoking cessation aid ChantixTM and to keep updated on its arrival to the market, visit: www.chantix.com. And whether it’s your first attempt or your last attempt to quit smoking, visit: www.cdc.gov/tobacco/how2quit.htm for additional tips and resources to help make your decision

Looking for a New Alternative to Assist You in Quitting Smoking?

Contributed by: Audrey Smith, Pharm.D.

Community Pharmacy Resident