Matching articles for "smoking cessation"

Drugs for COPD

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • September 2, 2024;  (Issue 1710)
The main goals of treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to relieve symptoms, reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations, prevent disease progression, and reduce...
The main goals of treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to relieve symptoms, reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations, prevent disease progression, and reduce mortality. GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) guidelines for treatment of COPD were updated recently. Treatment of acute exacerbations is not discussed here. Drugs available for treatment of COPD are listed in Tables 1 and 3.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2024 Sep 2;66(1710):137-44 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Addendum: Bupropion Safety in Pregnancy

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • April 1, 2024;  (Issue 1699)
Our December 11, 2023 article on Drugs for Depression included a single sentence on the safety of bupropion use during pregnancy: "The safety of bupropion during pregnancy has not been established; data from...
Our December 11, 2023 article on Drugs for Depression included a single sentence on the safety of bupropion use during pregnancy: "The safety of bupropion during pregnancy has not been established; data from a bupropion pregnancy registry suggested a possible increase in cardiac malformations." A reader asked us to provide more information.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2024 Apr 1;66(1699):56 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Dextromethorphan/Bupropion (Auvelity) for Depression

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • December 26, 2022;  (Issue 1666)
The FDA has approved an extended-release fixed-dose combination of dextromethorphan and bupropion (Auvelity – Axsome) for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in...
The FDA has approved an extended-release fixed-dose combination of dextromethorphan and bupropion (Auvelity – Axsome) for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2022 Dec 26;64(1666):201-3 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for COPD

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • September 7, 2020;  (Issue 1606)
The main goals of treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to relieve symptoms, reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations, and prevent disease progression. Several...
The main goals of treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to relieve symptoms, reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations, and prevent disease progression. Several guidelines and review articles on COPD treatment have been published in recent years. Treatment of acute exacerbations is not discussed here.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2020 Sep 7;62(1606):137-44 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for Smoking Cessation

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • July 15, 2019;  (Issue 1576)
Smoking tobacco remains the primary preventable cause of death in the US. Smoking cessation often requires both pharmacotherapy and behavioral...
Smoking tobacco remains the primary preventable cause of death in the US. Smoking cessation often requires both pharmacotherapy and behavioral support.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2019 Jul 15;61(1576):105-10 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Expanded Table: Some Drugs for Smoking Cessation (online only)

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • July 15, 2019;  (Issue 1576)
...
View the Expanded Table: Some Drugs for Smoking Cessation
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2019 Jul 15;61(1576):e112-4 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for COPD

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • April 10, 2017;  (Issue 1518)
The main goals of treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to relieve symptoms, reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations, and prevent disease progression. Updated...
The main goals of treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to relieve symptoms, reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations, and prevent disease progression. Updated guidelines for treatment of COPD have been published in recent years.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2017 Apr 10;59(1518):57-62 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for Tobacco Dependence

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 29, 2016;  (Issue 1489)
Tobacco dependence remains the primary preventable cause of death in the United States. It is a chronic disorder that often requires pharmacologic therapy, but counseling may be equally effective and can add...
Tobacco dependence remains the primary preventable cause of death in the United States. It is a chronic disorder that often requires pharmacologic therapy, but counseling may be equally effective and can add to the effectiveness of any treatment for this indication. Abrupt cessation of smoking appears to be as effective as gradual reduction.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2016 Feb 29;58(1489):27-31 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Contrave - A Combination of Bupropion and Naltrexone for Weight Loss

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • November 10, 2014;  (Issue 1455)
The FDA has approved a fixed-dose combination of the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (ReVia, and others) and the antidepressant and smoking cessation agent bupropion (Wellbutrin SR, Zyban, and...
The FDA has approved a fixed-dose combination of the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (ReVia, and others) and the antidepressant and smoking cessation agent bupropion (Wellbutrin SR, Zyban, and others), as Contrave (Orexigen/Takeda) for weight loss. The combination was approved for use as an adjunct to diet and increased physical activity in patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 or a BMI ≥27 kg/m2 and one or more weight-related comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia. Naltrexone/bupropion is not a controlled substance.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2014 Nov 10;56(1455):112-4 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Electronic Cigarettes

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • November 11, 2013;  (Issue 1429)
Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes, are advertised as a safer, more convenient, and socially acceptable alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes. Widely available in retail stores and on the...
Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes, are advertised as a safer, more convenient, and socially acceptable alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes. Widely available in retail stores and on the Internet, their use has been increasing over recent years, primarily among smokers, but also among non-smokers.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2013 Nov 11;55(1429):89-90 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for Asthma and COPD

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • August 1, 2013;  (Issue 132)
INHALATION DEVICES — Metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) require coordination of inhalation with hand-actuation of the device. Valved holding chambers (VHCs) or spacers help some patients, especially young...
INHALATION DEVICES — Metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) require coordination of inhalation with hand-actuation of the device. Valved holding chambers (VHCs) or spacers help some patients, especially young children and the elderly, use MDIs effectively. VHCs have one-way valves that prevent the patient from exhaling into the device, minimizing the need for coordinated actuation and inhalation. Spacers are tubes or chambers placed between the canister and a face mask or mouthpiece, which also avoids the need to coordinate actuation and inhalation. Both VHCs and spacers retain the larger particles emitted from the MDI, decreasing their deposition in the oropharynx and leading to a higher proportion of small respirable particles being inhaled.
Treat Guidel Med Lett. 2013 Aug;11(132):75-86 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Electronic Cigarettes for Smoking Cessation

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • November 26, 2012;  (Issue 1404)
Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes, are battery-operated nicotine-delivery devices that resemble tobacco cigarettes. They deliver vapor containing a mixture of nicotine and either propylene...
Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes, are battery-operated nicotine-delivery devices that resemble tobacco cigarettes. They deliver vapor containing a mixture of nicotine and either propylene glycol or glycerol. E-cigarettes are widely available in retail stores and on the internet in labeled strengths ranging from zero to high levels of nicotine and in flavors such as tobacco, mint, coffee, cherry, bubblegum, and chocolate. They are advertised as a healthier alternative to smoking a tobacco cigarette and, although not FDA-approved, as a smoking cessation tool.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2012 Nov 26;54(1404):93-4 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

In Brief: Cardiovascular Safety of Varenicline (Chantix)

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • August 22, 2011;  (Issue 1371)
Varenicline (Chantix), which has been associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms such as agitation, depressed mood, changes in behavior and suicidal ideation, appears to be the most effective drug available for...
Varenicline (Chantix), which has been associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms such as agitation, depressed mood, changes in behavior and suicidal ideation, appears to be the most effective drug available for treatment of tobacco dependence.1 Recently, the FDA warned that varenicline may also increase the risk of cardiovascular adverse events in patients with cardiovascular disease.2 This warning was based on the results of a 12-week randomized trial in 714 smokers with stable cardiovascular disease. The drug was effective in helping patients stop smoking; long-term quit rates (at 52 weeks) were 19% with varenicline and 7% with placebo.3 The results also included the following cardiovascular adverse events:

The authors of the study interpreted these results as providing reassurance that varenicline appears to be safe for use in smokers with stable cardiovascular disease. The FDA interpreted them as an association with a small increased risk of cardiovascular events if varenicline is used in patients with stable cardiovascular disease, and required the manufacturer to add this information to the labeling of the drug.

After the FDA's decision, a meta-analysis of 14 clinical trials in a total of 8216 patients with or without heart disease found that serious cardiovascular events occurred in 52 (1.06%) of 4908 patients treated with varenicline and in 27 (0.82%) of 3308 taking placebo. This difference was statistically significant.4

Until more data become available, the benefit of varenicline in helping patients stop smoking would appear to outweigh the risks of the drug.

1. Drugs for tobacco dependence. Treat Guidel Med Lett 2008; 6:61.

2. FDA Safety Communication: Chantix (varenicline) may increase the risk of certain cardiovascular adverse events in patients with cardiovascular disease. Available at www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm259161.htm. Accessed August 15, 2011.

3. NA Rigotti et al. Efficacy and safety of varenicline for smoking cessation in patients with cardiovascular disease: a randomized trial. Circulation 2010; 121:221.

4. S Singh et al. Risk of serious adverse cardiovascular events associated with varenicline: a systematic review and meta-analysis. CMAJ 2011 July 4 (epub).

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Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2011 Aug 22;53(1371):65 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • November 1, 2010;  (Issue 99)
The goals of drug therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to reduce symptoms such as dyspnea, improve exercise tolerance and quality of life, and decrease complications of the disease...
The goals of drug therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to reduce symptoms such as dyspnea, improve exercise tolerance and quality of life, and decrease complications of the disease such as acute exacerbations. Other guidelines for treatment of this condition have been published or updated in recent years.
Treat Guidel Med Lett. 2010 Nov;8(99):83-8 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Safety of Smoking Cessation Drugs

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • August 24, 2009;  (Issue 1319)
The most effective drugs available for treatment of tobacco dependence are bupropion (Zyban, and others and varenicline (Chantix). The FDA recently ordered the manufacturers of both to add boxed warnings about...
The most effective drugs available for treatment of tobacco dependence are bupropion (Zyban, and others and varenicline (Chantix). The FDA recently ordered the manufacturers of both to add boxed warnings about the risk of psychiatric symptoms and suicide to their prescribing information (FDA Alert, 7/1/2009).
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2009 Aug 24;51(1319):65 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for Tobacco Dependence

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • September 1, 2008;  (Issue 73)
Peptic ulcers caused by treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are mainly gastric ulcers. The greater the number of office visits and the longer the counseling time, the higher the smoking...
Peptic ulcers caused by treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are mainly gastric ulcers. The greater the number of office visits and the longer the counseling time, the higher the smoking cessation rates have been.
Treat Guidel Med Lett. 2008 Sep;6(73):61-5 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

In Brief: Varenicline (Chantix) Revisited

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • November 19, 2007;  (Issue 1274)
When the nicotine receptor partial agonist varenicline (Chantix – Pfizer) was first marketed, The Medical Letter concluded that it was moderately effective in increasing smoking cessation rates.1 More recent...
When the nicotine receptor partial agonist varenicline (Chantix – Pfizer) was first marketed, The Medical Letter concluded that it was moderately effective in increasing smoking cessation rates.1 More recent publications and the clinical experience of Medical Letter consultants now suggest that varenicline is the most effective drug available for this indication, more effective than nicotine replacement therapy or bupropion SR (Zyban).2,3 A word of caution: exacerbations of psychiatric illness have been reported in patients who took higher-than-recommended starting doses of varenicline.4,5

1. Varenicline (Chantix) for tobacco dependence. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2006; 48:66.
2. P Wu et al. Effectiveness of smoking cessation therapies: a systemic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health 2006; 6:300.
3. K Cahill et al. Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007; (1):CD006103.
4. R Freedman. Exacerbation of schizophrenia by varenicline. Am J Psychiatry 2007; 164:1269.
5. I Kohen and N Kremen. Varenicline-induced manic episode in a patient with bipolar disorder. Am J Psychiatry 2007; 164:1269.

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Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2007 Nov 19;49(1274):93-6 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • November 1, 2007;  (Issue 63)
The goals of drug therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to reduce symptoms such as dyspnea, improve exercise tolerance and quality of life, and minimize complications of the disease such...
The goals of drug therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to reduce symptoms such as dyspnea, improve exercise tolerance and quality of life, and minimize complications of the disease such as acute exacerbations and cor pulmonale. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines developed by the World Health Organization and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute were updated in 2006. The American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society jointly developed guidelines for COPD in 2004.
Treat Guidel Med Lett. 2007 Nov;5(63):95-100 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Varenicline (Chantix) for Tobacco Dependence

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • August 14, 2006;  (Issue 1241)
Varenicline tartrate (Chantix - Pfizer) is now available for oral treatment of tobacco dependence. Some other drugs for this indication are listed in this...
Varenicline tartrate (Chantix - Pfizer) is now available for oral treatment of tobacco dependence. Some other drugs for this indication are listed in this article.
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2006 Aug 14;48(1241):66-8 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for Intermittent Claudication

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • February 16, 2004;  (Issue 1176)
Management of intermittent claudication, the most common symptom of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), involves both risk factor modification and symptomatic treatment (WR Hiatt, N Engl J Med 2001; 344:1608; RM...
Management of intermittent claudication, the most common symptom of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), involves both risk factor modification and symptomatic treatment (WR Hiatt, N Engl J Med 2001; 344:1608; RM Schainfeld, J Am Board Fam Pract 2001; 14:443).
Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2004 Feb 16;46(1176):13-5 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction

Drugs for Tobacco Dependence

   
The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics • June 1, 2003;  (Issue 10)
Tobacco dependence is a chronic illness that may require pharmacological treatment (MC Fiore et al, JAMA 2000; 283:3244; DPL Sachs in JE Hodgkin et al, eds, Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Guidelines to Success, 3rd...
Tobacco dependence is a chronic illness that may require pharmacological treatment (MC Fiore et al, JAMA 2000; 283:3244; DPL Sachs in JE Hodgkin et al, eds, Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Guidelines to Success, 3rd ed, Philadelphia; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000, page 261).
Treat Guidel Med Lett. 2003 Jun;1(10):65-8 | Show Full IntroductionHide Full Introduction