What is Zyban? Q&A on This Controversial New Drug
There has been a lot of talk about a new anti-smoking drug which seems to be making progress in curing people addicted to smoking. But what is Zyban? What benefit does it have for smokers looking to quit? What risks does it pose, if any? These questions and more will be examined.
What is Zyban?
Zyban, or bupropion hydrochloride, is a non-nicotine aid to smoking cessation and is unrelated to nicotine or other agents currently used in the treatment of nicotine addiction.1
How does it work?
Zyban works by curbing the cravings for nicotine. Oddly enough, none of the researchers so far have been able to determine precisely how this suppression occurs.According to Dr. Mike Devoy, medical director of Glaxo Wellcome in Australia, the drug is thought to work on certain neurotransmitters in the brain causing it to be effective as an anti-depressant and a nicotine craving inhibitor.2
Bupropion was previously used as an anti-depressant until Dr. Linda Ferry noticed that her patients who were on the drug were losing their cravings for nicotine. She took her findings to Glaxo Wellcome, Inc., the makers of Zyban.3
Apparently Zyban takes some time to begin working. According to the information on Zyban.com, "most people will take Zyban for 8 to 14 days before their set quit day. The medication in Zyban needs this time to go to work in [their] system, before it is ready to help [them] stop smoking." Once the patient reaches their quit date, they generally quite smoking all together.
But what about the success rate of the drug?
Reports have shown that Zyban is nearly twice as effective as other cessation therapies. The long-term quit-rate is only about 15-20%, but it is common for smokers to quit multiple times before achieving success.4 A new study has also shown to have a stronger influence on males, older individuals and those who smoke less than 30 cigarettes a day. People who were at 35 years old, who had made a serious attempt to quit smoking at least once before and who did not live with any other smoker were also more likely to be successful.5
What are the risks?
Like all medications, Zyban has the possibility of side effects. According to the Zyban website, the most common are dry mouth and difficulty sleeping. A more severe possibility is seizure, so it is recommended that you talk with your health care provider about the possible side effects you could face. The reminder to consult your physician is stated repeatedly on Zyban’s website. As with any new drug regiment, doctor-patient communication is important.
Zyban recently made headlines in the United Kingdom when 37 patients on the drug died after taking it and 5,252 had adverse reactions. The most public death was that of flight attendant Kerry Weston. She was taking Zyban along with an anti-malarial drug Chloroquine. The two drugs have been determined to be "imcompatible" together.6
At the moment the debate on whether the drug is responsible for the 37 deaths is still going on. British health officials are allowing the drug to be used with the provision that it will not be prescribed to people who are at high risk of seizures unless there is suffient need to do so.
As with all medications, anyone starting a new regimen should consult with his or her doctor to make sure it is the right drug for them.
--Travis Roe
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