Anti-Smoking Drug Chantix Linked To Increased Risk Of Heart Problems
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Chantix, the leading prescription drug for smoking cessation, has now added another serious health concern to its laundry list of potential risks: cardiovascular disorders for people who do not have preexisting heart conditions. Since its approval in 2006, the medication has also been associated with loss of consciousness, visual disturbances, worsening of diabetes and various psychiatric side effects.
According to a recent report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, a study concluded that Chantix increases the risk of hospitalization for heart attacks, strokes, irregular heartbeats or other serious heart problems by 72 percent.
The published review included a synopsis of 14 separate clinical trials that included over 8,200 healthy people, primarily men under the age of 45, who took Chantix or who were given a placebo pill for the purpose of the study.
There were an equal number of fatalities in each study group, however there was an elevated risk of hospitalization for arrhythmia or heart attacks among the group of participants who took Chantix.
Study researcher, Dr. Sonal Singh, MD, an assistant professor of general internal medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said that the increased risk of cardiovascular problems lasted for the duration that people took Chantix (12 to 24 weeks) and for the follow-up year after the studies concluded.
In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated that Chantix include a ‘Black Box’ label to warn users of the very serious adverse psychiatric effects associated with the drug. This new warning label was prompted by the FDA receiving reports of Chantix causing unusual changes in behavior such as: suicidal thoughts and tendencies, hostility, violence, aggression and depressive thoughts.
Chantix, also known as varenicline, is a non-nicotine oral smoking cessation pill that is manufactured by Pfizer. According to Pharmalot, an online pharmaceutical commentary, the product has been prescribed to 13 million people and accrued $755 million in sales last year.
For more information on the latest dangers associated with the Chantix, please consult the FDA’s June 2011 Safety Announcement on the drug: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm259161.htm
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