Varenicline (Chantix®): Basic Information - Simple and Practical Mental Health

Varenicline (US brand name Chantix®) is a nicotinic receptor partial agonist. Here is basic information about this medication.

FDA-approved indications

Used as an aid to smoking cessation treatment

Dosage

Treatment with varenicline can be started one week before patients stops smoking. Alternatively patient can stop smoking on days 8-35 after starting treatment with varenicline.

Week 1: 0.5 mg once daily on days 1-3 and 0.5 mg twice daily on days 4-7.

Weeks 2-12: 1 mg twice daily

Varenicline should be taken with full glass of water.

If the patient is successful in quitting smoking then repeat for 12 weeks.

If the patient is motivated but not successful in quitting smoking, then address the factors responsible for failure of treatment before restarting the treatment.

If the patient cannot tolerate the adverse effects, then consider a temporary or permanent dose reduction.

Special populations

a. Impaired renal function: Mild to moderate impairment requires no dosage adjustment. In severe impairment start with 0.5 mg once daily, then titrate to maximum of 0.5 mg twice daily.

b. Impaired hepatic function: No dosage adjustment is necessary

c. Elderly: Monitor renal function

Dosage forms and strengths

Tablets: 0.5 mg, 1 mg

Important! Please refer to Prescribing Information (see link below) for a complete discussion of dosage, administration, warnings and precautions, contraindications, etc.

Smoking and psychotropic medications

Do electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) work for smoking cessation?

What “authorities” say about e-cigarettes for tobacco use disorder

What are electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes)?

Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders in the DSM-V

References

Prescribing Information for varenicline (Chantix®)

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