Smoking cessation therapy with varenicline

Uma M Mohanasundaram, Rajinder Chitkara, Ganesh Krishna

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA, USA

Abstract: Smoking cessation is the only available intervention proven to halt progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The authors discuss the current existing treatment modalities and the role of a newly approved agent, varenicline, in promotion of smoking cessation. Varenicline is a novel agent that is a centrally acting partial nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist. It has both agonistic and antagonistic properties that together are believed to account for reduction of craving and withdrawal as well as blocking the rewarding effects of smoking. Its targeted mechanism of action, better efficacy and tolerability makes varenicline a useful therapeutic option for smoking cessation. In this article, we discuss presently available options for smoking cessation and review the literature on efficacy of varenicline.

Keywords: smoking cessation, varenicline, nicotine, receptors, therapy, COPD