Chantix Helps curb Smoking

This is not hidden from the world that nicotine is a very addictive substance and once it enters your body you are bound to have incidents frequent cravings for it. So, when someone starts smoking and becomes very keen towards it then it becomes very difficult to liberate himself from the clutches of smoking or nicotine addiction. Even if one somehow manages to successfully complete this difficult task, withdrawal symptoms such as headache, sore throat, insomnia, fatigue, cough and various others appears and make his life more and more troublesome. If such is the problem then how should you cope with it? Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is a measure which is in vogue along with the anti-smoking drug chantix, but will it be able to grant the same assistance and comfort that chantix provides? As for NRT, let me tell you that in a recent study presented at the 72nd annual international scientific assembly of the American college of chest physicians (ACCP) it was highlighted that when the patients on NRT were admitted to ICU they had a higher risk of death in comparison to those who refrained from taking nicotine supplements.

The other form of cure, chantix is a Pfizer manufactured anti-smoking drug that has gained name and fame in a very short spell of time. The success of Pfizer’s anti-smoking drug chantix is no more covered under wraps with the medicine winning the second scrip award as the best new small-molecule drug on account of its contribution as a quit smoking assistance for the adult generation. The category of people who have got addicted to the vice of smoking and have been unable to relieve themselves even after applying all the available methods to accelerate smoking cessation can look forward to anti-smoking drugs for help. Chantix and zyban are the examples of such drugs and help you to loose your craving for a smoke. Well, the significant thing about chantix is the exceptional approach that this medicine adopts in helping a smoker to curb on his smoking habit. It eliminates the addictive effect of nicotine on a smoker which further makes him capable of getting rid of the smoking habit quite easily. The functional process of chantix is similar to nicotine against which it works. The U.S Food And Drug Administration have approved chantix (varenicline tartrate) for smoking cessation treatment. Chantix was approved by FDA on 11 may, 2006 for its notable potential to promote public health. This is the second medicine approved by FDA for smoking cessation treatment; the first to receive the approval was zyban, fourth Pfizer medicine to receive FDA approval in 2006.

Varenicline, the main ingredient of chantix, behaves differently from the other quit smoking drugs. Varenicline operates in a way similar to the working of nicotine. When a person smokes, nicotine goes straight to the brain and binds with the nicotine receptor cells, thereby activating the pleasure cells. Chantix is an agonist and it acts just like nicotine, as varenicline gets attached with high intensity to the a4ß2 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors when chantix is consumed. In easier terms chantix works by blocking the brain receptors that help perpetuate addiction and lowers the cravings for nicotine. At the same time it also helps to overcome withdrawal effects of smoking. In more scientific terms, varenicline obstructs activation of a4b2 receptors by nicotine, thus stimulates the central nervous mesolimbic dopamine system, which behind the neuronal mechanism produces sensational feelings upon smoking. Additionally, a person may continue smoking while receiving treatment and the effect would be a reduced sense of satisfaction associated with cigarette smoking. This way chantix helps to break the vicious cycle of nicotine addiction.

Chantix is supplied in doses of 0.5 mg (white) and 1 mg (blue) tablets. You may start with an initial chantix dose of 0.5 mg once a day. You may increase the chantix dose to 0.5 mg twice daily after 3 days. Chantix dosage is increased to 1 mg twice daily after 7 days. Chantix is generally taken with a glass of water after food. Don't skip doses and double dose for missed chantix dose. To have a successful chantix treatment as a part of your campaign to quit smoking, you need to set aside a "quit date" to put your thoughts into action. It is best to start a chantix prescription, a week before the quit date.

At times, certain contraindications and side effect may occur while taking chantix. Some of the commonly occurring side effects are nausea, sleep disorder, gas, constipation, headache, loss of taste and sleeplessness. Side effects of chantix with no adverse health implications that are not mentioned above may occur infrequently or rarely. But talk to your physician if they occur repeatedly and become bothersome.

Chantix stands out from the other therapies and medications to quit smoking. As chantix takes out the zing in smoking; smokers won’t find smoking pleasurable after using chantix, as chantix blanks out these sensations. This plays a great role in the easing of the withdrawal symptoms when you use chantix as an anti-smoking pill.

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By: Norma , Posted On: 2006-12-20