Speaking of smoking, users of the smoking-cessation drug Chantix may be at higher risk for cardiovascular problems, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stated Wednesday.
A meta-analysis of clinical trials that compared patients who took Chantix to patients who took a placebo found that those on Chantix had a higher occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events including death, MI, and stroke.
The FDA pointed out that the increased risk was not statistically significant, but smokers should be aware of the risks and talk to their doctors before taking the drug.
As with any drug there is a risk/benefit ratio, says ACSH s Dr. Gilbert Ross, but when the benefits are close to zero than the risks are no longer worth it.
ACSH s Dr. Josh Bloom concurs, stating that when there are if there are risks involved with Chantix does it really make sense to take it in this case? Instead of adding another drug to your system, why not simply take the one that you are already using nicotine.
