No Evidence of Increased Risk of Suicide in Patients Using Smoking Cessation Drugs

Researchers at University of Bristol have not found any evidence that the risk of suicide, self-harm and treated depression increases in patients who are prescribed smoking cessation drugs compared to those who undergo nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), a new study published in the British Medical Journal reveals.

Varenicline (brand name Champix in the UK, Chantix in the US) is widely used by patients seeking to stop smoking with recent figures showing there were one million prescriptions for the drug in England in 2011 alone1. Both varenicline and bupropion (brand name Zyban) - the other main non-nicotine smoking cessation product - work by helping to reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Bupropion is also used to treat depressive illnesses in some countries, but is not licensed for this indication in the UK.

Antioxidants to Help You When You Quit Smoking
Smoking is injurious to health, but it sure is a tough addiction to stop. Cure yourself with the power of antioxidants to eliminate health risks such as lung cancer and dental problems.

However, concerns that these drugs may increase the risk of suicide have led to safety warnings by regulatory agencies including the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Findings from this large-scale study aimed to assess the risk of psychiatric events in patients prescribed varenicline or bupropion compared with those using nicotine replacement products such as patches and gum.

Researchers analysed data from the medical records of 119,546 adults who had used a smoking cessation product between 1 September 2006 and 31 October 2011. Using linked data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) mortality data and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), the team were then able to assess the rate of treated depression, self-harm and suicide in 31, 260 (26.2 percent) patients prescribed varenicline, 6,741 (5.6 percent) patients prescribed bupropion and compare this with 81, 545 (68.2 percent) people using nicotine replacement therapies.

Smoking and Cancer - Causes - Passive Smoking - FAQs - Video
Smoking is the most important preventable cause of cancer in the world.

The findings, which used three different analytical methods, showed no clear evidence of an increased risk of treated depression or suicidal behavior for patients prescribed with varenicline or bupropion compared to those taking nicotine replacement therapies.

Dr Kyla Thomas, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Doctoral Research Fellow and one of the study's lead authors in the University's School of Social and Community Medicine, said: "Given the concerns and accompanying safety warnings for these drugs these findings are reassuring for users and prescribers of smoking cessation medicines."

Smoking among Women / Rise in Tobacco Usage in Women
Tobacco use in women is on the rise. The health risks of tobacco are far too many has never done a woman any good psychologically or health-wise.

Professor David Gunnell concluded: "These findings support those of our earlier study2 in a larger, more comprehensive assessment of this important issue; they will be of interest to patients, prescribers and drug regulators."

Overview Suicide
Suicide is an act of ending one's own life and it usually results from emotional isolations and inability to adjust and cope with one's environment.

Source-Eurekalert