Smoking cessation drug more effective when started earlier
People who have made it their New Year's resolution to quit cigarettes can shop at a Canadian internet pharmacy for cheap cessation treatments.
People who have made it their New Year's resolution to quit cigarettes can shop at a Canadian internet pharmacy for cheap cessation treatments. This may include nicotine patches or prescription medications such as varenicline, commonly known as Chantix. New research suggests that this drug may be more effective when prospective quitters start taking it earlier than currently prescribed.
Varenicline helps reduce cigarette cravings by changing the way the body experiences the rewarding sensations of smoking, according to scientists from the University at Buffalo. Conventional treatment involves starting the regimen one week before the anticipated quit date.
In order to assess the effects of beginning medication sooner, the study team conducted an experiment in which two groups of smokers took varenicline either four weeks or one week before giving up cigarettes. All subjects continued the drug 11 weeks after the quit date.
Results showed that 53 percent of those who started the regimen earlier stayed tobacco-free three months after quitting, compared to 40 percent of subjects in conventional treatment, as reported in the journal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
"If this finding holds up in larger studies, it could have a major impact on public health," said researcher Larry Hawk, Jr., PhD.
Every year, more than 440,000 people die prematurely because of tobacco use, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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