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Varenicline
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Description
Varenicline is an effective smoking cessation aid that reduces the withdrawal symptoms after smoking has been stopped as well as the craving for nicotine. This medicine works better along with counseling and patient education.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Varenicline
Nausea
Abdominal pain
Flatulence
Vomiting
Dry mouth
Toothache
Presence of blood in stool
Belching and Heartburn
Dizziness
Difficulty in swallowing
Mouth ulcers
Change in taste
Headache
Difficulty in breathing
Anxiety and confusion
Mood swings
Abnormal dreams
Unusual tiredness or weakness
Itching and skin rash
Sore throat
Runny Nose
Change in sexual urge
Uses of Varenicline
What is it prescribed for?
Smoking cessation
This medicine is used as a smoking cessation aid. It reduces the urge to smoke and relieves the withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation.
Concerns
Commonly asked questions
Onset of action
The amount of time taken for this medicine to show its effect is subject to vary based on factors such as age, the number of cigarettes smoked, etc.Duration of effect
The amount of time for which this medicine remains active in the body is not clinically established.Safe with alcohol?
Consumption of alcohol is not recommended while receiving this medicine since it may decrease your tolerance towards alcohol and increase the risk of severe adverse effects. Report any unusual symptoms to the doctor on priority. Avoid performing activities that need high mental alertness like driving a vehicle or operating heavy machinery if alcohol and this medicine are used together.Is it habit forming?
No habit-forming tendencies were reported.Usage in pregnancy?
This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless absolutely necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine.Usage while breast-feeding?
This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before using this medicine. Your doctor may advise you to discontinue the drug or to discontinue breastfeeding based on your clinical condition.
Allergy
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known allergy to varenicline or any other inactive ingredients present in the formulation.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless absolutely necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine.
Breast-feeding
This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before using this medicine. Your doctor may advise you to discontinue the drug or to discontinue breastfeeding based on your clinical condition.
General warnings
Psychiatric events
Use of this medicine may cause mood changes, anxiety, paranoia, delusions, etc. in some patients. Hence it should be administered with caution in patients with a pre-existing psychiatric disorder. Report any unusual symptoms to the doctor immediately. Appropriate patient counseling, dose adjustments, or replacement with a suitable alternative may be necessary in some cases.
Seizures
Use of this medicine may cause seizures in some patients. Hence, it should be used with extreme caution and appropriate monitoring in patients with a pre-existing seizure disorder. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Heart diseases
Use of this medicine may worsen the symptoms of heart diseases. Hence, it should be used with caution and monitoring in patients with pre-existing disease of the heart or the blood vessels. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Sleepwalking
Use of this medicine has been associated with incidences of sleepwalking in some rare cases. Hence, caution is advised in patients with a pre-existing condition of somnambulism (sleepwalking). Close monitoring of clinical condition, appropriate dose adjustments, or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Nausea
Use of this medicine may cause mild to moderate nausea which does not require treatment. However, you may contact a doctor and seek medical help if nausea is persistent for months.
Driving or Operating machinery
Use of this medicine may cause mood swings and confusion in some patients. It is advised that you do not perform any activities such as driving a vehicle or operating machinery if you experience any of these symptoms during treatment with this medicine.
Use in children
This medicine is not recommended for use in children below 18 years of age since the safety and efficacy of use are not clinically established.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed one.
Overdose
Seek emergency medical treatment or contact the doctor in case of an overdose.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
N/A
Instructions
Consumption of alcohol is not recommended while receiving this medicine since it may decrease your tolerance towards alcohol and increase the risk of severe adverse effects. Report any unusual symptoms to the doctor on priority. Avoid performing activities that need high mental alertness like driving a vehicle or operating heavy machinery if alcohol and this medicine are used together.
Interaction with Medicine
Nicotine
Dolutegravir
Cimetidine
Ranolazine
Vandetanib
Disease interactions
Psychiatric disorders
This medicine should be used with caution in patients with a history of depression, suicidal ideation, agitation, etc. Patients should be closely monitored for any change in mood or behavior. Report any unusual symptoms to the doctor. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be necessary based on the clinical condition.
Cardiovascular disease
This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from any condition of the heart or the blood vessels due to the increased risk of severe adverse effects. You may require a dose adjustment and more frequent clinical monitoring while taking this medicine. An alternative treatment option may be necessary in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Kidney Disease
This medicine should be used with caution in patients with kidney diseases due to the increased risk of severe adverse effects. Regular monitoring of kidney function tests is necessary while taking this medicine. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Seizures
This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from seizures due to the increased risk of worsening of the patient’s condition. You may require a dose adjustment and more frequent clinical monitoring while taking this medicine. An alternative treatment option may be necessary in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take this medicine exactly as prescribed by the doctor. Do not take it in larger or smaller quantities than recommended. Do not stop the use of this medicine without consulting the doctor. Avoid smoking while this medicine is being taken.
Miscelleneous
How it works
This medicine binds to certain specific receptors in the body and reduces the urge to smoke. It also relieves the withdrawal symptoms after smoking has been stopped.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Smoking cessation agents
Schedule
Schedule H
[Internet]. Accessdata.fda.gov. 2018 [cited 6 September 2018]. Available from:
[Internet]. Ema.europa.eu. 2018 [cited 6 September 2018]. Available from:
DailyMed - Varenicline tartrate [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2018 [cited 6 September 2018]. Available from:
[Internet]. Chantix® (varenicline) Official Site. 2018 [cited 6 September 2018]. Available from:
Information on this page was last updated on 9 Jan 2019
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.