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Effectiveness of Varenicline in Psychiatric Patients with Co-Morbid Polysubstance Dependence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 May 2014

Jungjin Kim ,
Prashant Kaul ,
Thomas L. Schwartz  and
James Megna
Jungjin Kim
Affiliation:
State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Department of Psychiatry, Syracuse, New York
Prashant Kaul
Affiliation:
State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Department of Psychiatry, Syracuse, New York
Thomas L. Schwartz*
Affiliation:
State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Department of Psychiatry, Syracuse, New York
James Megna
Affiliation:
State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Department of Psychiatry, Syracuse, New York
*
Address for correspondence: Thomas Schwartz, Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse NY 13210. Email: schwartt@upstate.edu
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Abstract

Introduction: Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) and mental health disorders (MHDs) have greater prevalence of smoking and suffer greater tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Varenicline is the latest FDA-approved smoking-cessation agent and few studies have investigated the use of varenicline in this difficult-to-treat population.

Aims: This study examines the smoking cessation outcomes and tolerability of varenicline when used to help quit smoking in 16 patients enroled in both psychiatric and substance abuse programme.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 16 patient charts. Patient demographics, psychiatric disorder diagnoses, substance use history, dosing, side effects, number of cigarettes used pre/post varenicline use and the number of complete smoking cessation outcomes were tabulated.

Results: After varenicline intervention, 25% of those who completed treatment completely quit smoking. Thirty-one per cent were able to substantially cut back the amount that they smoked to one cigarette per day. The average reduction in cigarettes was 16 per day (64%), and all but one patient tolerated varenicline.

Conclusions: The authors observed reasonable clinical benefit when varenicline was used to help quit smoking in patients with comorbid SUDs and MHDs. Better-controlled future studies with larger sample sizes will help further determine clinical utility of varenicline in this difficult-to-treat nicotine-dependent population.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Smoking Cessation , Volume 11 , Issue 1 , March 2016 , pp. 1 - 4
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Australian Academic Press Pty Ltd 2014 

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