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Varenicline facilitates gradual smoking cessation
Key clinical point: Twenty-four weeks of varenicline therapy aimed at gradually cutting back on cigarette smoking can improve quit rates for...
Is it all or nothing when it comes to quitting smoking?
For many smokers, there may be another approach: A new study showed that a 24-week course of varenicline boosted quit rates among smokers who preferred to gradually reduce their cigarette use ( JAMA 2015;313:687-94 ). That behavioral health reduction strategy may offer 14 million smokers an alternative route to quitting, noted study author Dr. Jon O. Ebbert of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
In a video interview, Dr. Ebbert discusses the strategy and its benefits.
Dr. Ebbert reported receiving grants from Pfizer, JHP Pharmaceuticals, and Orexigen, as well as personal fees from GlaxoSmithKline.