Smoking cessation drugs

Smoking is quite a bad habit and is very hazardous to health. Moreover, once someone gets addicted to smoking it is by far one of the toughest tasks to give it up. Eventually, with a strong will power it is possible to discontinue smoking and this period is known as smoking cessation. Nowadays there are many smoking cessation drugs available which can help people to quit smoking and lead a healthy life. Furthermore, the quit-smoking industry has experienced growth in leaps and bounds over the past decade, and there are therapies, smoking replacements, gums, patches and other focus groups available today which has given real hopes to people who really want to quit smoking.

Smoking may cause serious health issues such as cardiovascular complications which can lead to blood clot in the arteries. Other health complications related to smoking are high blood pressure and asthma. Smokers are also at a higher risk of suffering from one of the many cancers like lung cancer, throat cancer and mouth cancer.

There are two types of smoking cessation treatments, which are nicotine replacement therapy and non-nicotine remedies. Nicotine replacement drugs are reputed to reduce headaches and other discomforts, which are caused when people are in the quitting process. It is recommended not to smoke during the course of a nicotine replacement therapy as using nicotine replacement drugs while smoking can be very dangerous and sometimes even life threatening. Most of the nicotine replacement medications can be bought over-the-counter. However, medications like nicotine nasal sprays and nicotine inhalers can be obtained only via a prescription. The inhaler can be used daily sixteen times and the nasal spray can be used for forty times. Both of them are very effective and fast as they allow nicotine to enter into the blood stream rapidly. However, mucus membranes formed by mouth and nose may get irritated which will result in dry mouth. Some people also prefer nicotine lozenges, which can be taken twenty five times daily and can be used as a replacement of cigarettes.

Non-nicotine smoking replacement drugs can help people to quit smoking. One of these drugs is Chantix, which is approved by FDA. This drug works by blocking the nicotine receptions in the brain which causes the desire in the person to smoke. Doctors usually recommend using it for twelve weeks and sometimes an additional twelve weeks are recommended for better results. The second non-nicotine replacement drug is Zyban. It helps to reduce the cravings of smoking by increasing the amount of dopamine in a person’s brain. Though, in most of the cases, Chantix has proven to be more effective than Zyban.

Although effective against smoking and very helpful in quitting, like any other drugs these come with many side effects of their own. Nicotine replacement drugs like nasal spray and nasal inhalers may cause discomforts like runny house, watery eyes or coughing. On the other hand, non-nicotine regalement drugs may cause serious side-effects. Headaches, disturbance in sleep and dry mouth are the side effects of using Zyban. People using Chantix may even experience insomnia besides headache and nausea. In some extreme cases, these drugs may also cause depression, personality changes, hostile behavior and suicidal thoughts. Therefore, it is clearly stated by FDA to include these side effects in the packet so that people are aware of them before buying these medications.

Quitting smoking requires medication and hardship. Different smoking cessations drugs are required for different people. Some people may also require a combination of both nicotine replacement and non-nicotine replacement medications. However, it best to take the doctor’s advice before taking any smoking cessation drugs.

Last updated on Sep 5th, 2010 and filed under Drugs and Medications. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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