Stop smoking pill ‘heart attack risk’
July 9th, 2011
Controversial Champix – also called varenicline – has already been linked to suicidal thoughts.
And now US researchers claim it increases the likelihood of two other illnesses by 72 per cent.
The drug accounted for almost a million prescriptions in England in the UK last year.
It curbs cigarette cravings but has previously been linked to depression, suicidal thoughts and anxiety. Now US researchers have found it “significantly increased risk of serious adverse cardiovascular events”.
Dr Sonal Singh, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland, said: “People want to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease but in this case they’re taking a drug that increases the risk for the problems they’re trying to avoid. They should be concerned.”
US regulators recently updated the drug’s labelling to say there was a small increased risk of cardiovascular events among smokers with heart disease. In the UK, there have been hundreds of reports to the drugs watchdog of changes in behaviour or thinking.
A statement from manufacturer Pfizer said it “strongly believes in and supports Champix”.
PAINKILLERS including ibuprofen can almost double the risk of a condition that causes strokes and heart failure, according to research in Denmark.
Stop smoking pill ‘heart attack risk’
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Tags: anxiety, Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Events, Champix, cigarette, Cravings, curbs, depression, England, Heart Attack, Heart Attack Risk, Heart Disease, Illnesses, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins University School, Likelihood, medicine, Prescriptions, smokers, Sonal Singh
