Chantix Risk Rises Again

Natural Health News has been covering Chantix since 2006.  There are at least a dozen articles here that speak to the dangers of this drug.

Now it is announced that there is a risk of PAD and other cardiovascular diseases caused by the drug, and the study shows about 62,000 people are affected.

The report follows an FDA announcement last month that prescribing information for varenicline will be revised to include a warning about an increased risk of second heart attack and peripheral artery disease in people with a history of cardiovascular disease.  SOURCE

If you are interested in stopping smoking using natural options please contact us or Health Forensics. 

Chantix Risks Once Again

Since 2007 Natural Health News has been covering Chantix (Champix).  Today a new report show continuing risk with the drug.

FDA Warns of MI, PAD Risk With Chantix

By Peggy Peck, Executive Editor, MedPage Today
Published: June 16, 2011

WASHINGTON -- The FDA warned today that smokers with a history of heart attack or stroke who use the smoking cessation drug varenicline (Chantix) may increase their risk of a second heart attack or new onset peripheral vascular disease.
The agency said an additional warning will be added to the drug's label and prescribing information describing a small, but measurable increase in the risk of cardiovascular events including nonfatal myocardial infarction, angina, and need for coronary revascularization.
Additionally, the label will warn that use of varenicline may increase the risk for a "new diagnosis of peripheral vascular disease or admission for a procedure for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease" among persons with a history of cardiovascular disease.
In its announcement, the FDA noted that smoking significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular events, so it advised physicians and patients to weigh the known benefits of varenicline treatment "against its potential risks when deciding to use the drug in smokers with cardiovascular disease."
The FDA decided to add the warnings after it reviewed data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 700 smokers with a history of cardiovascular disease who were treated with varenicline or placebo.
The FDA said it was "continuing to evaluate the cardiovascular safety of Chantix" and had ordered the drug's maker to conduct a meta-analysis of data from all varenicline studies as part of an ongoing review of the drug's cardiovascular safety.
Concerns about cardiovascular safety come on top of previous reports of increased risk of suicidal ideation association with varenicline, which is marketed by Pfizer.

Selections from Natural Health News

Natural Health News: CHANTIX Gets High Danger Rating

Feb 01, 2011

The latest January 2011 QuarterWatch (analyzing FDA's MedWatch adverse effect reports for Quarter 2 of 2010) found that despite prominent label warnings, the stop-smoking drug varenicline (CHANTIX) continues to pose ...

Natural Health News: Chantix Still A Danger to Health

Dec 17, 2010

A reader was looking for natural alternatives to Chantix/Champix, so I thought I'd provide some information based on methods I've suggested to people over the years that have been very helpful. I generally suggest that ...

Natural Health News: More on the dangers of Chantix

Feb 02, 2008

"We've become increasingly concerned as we've seen there are a number of compelling cases that truly look as if they are the result of exposure to the drug," Bob Rappaport, a director in FDA's unit that oversees Chantix, ...

Natural Health News: The Chantix File Expands

Jun 18, 2008

Yes, Chantix is associated with a large number of suicides, but what is more devastating is the recruiting of our already abused soldiers to test the drug, and just for thirty pieces of almost worthless paper. ...

CHANTIX Gets High Danger Rating

CHANTIX Linked to Highest Number of Reports--Hostility-Aggression, Psychosis
Psychiatric News

Overall in the 2nd quarter of 2010, the FDA received 33,068 domestic reports of serious injury, disability or death associated with drug therapy--an increase of 12% from the same quarter one year ago.

The latest January 2011 QuarterWatch (analyzing FDA's MedWatch adverse effect reports for Quarter 2 of 2010) found that despite prominent label warnings, the stop-smoking drug varenicline (CHANTIX) continues to pose serious life-threatening risks. 

A year after FDA required a prominent boxed warning, a mandatory Medication Guide for every patient and declining use, CHANTIX continued to account for the largest numbers of reported serious psychiatric side effects that pose serious risks of harm. The case reports involving CHANTIX, primarily of hostility-aggression, depression and psychosis, pose serious risks--not only to those who use it--but also to others who may be victimized by consumers of the drug who become psychotic or aggressive.

For this reason, the Federal Aviation Administration has banned varenicline for pilots and air traffic controllers; the Department of Transportation has limited its use among truck drivers; and the Department of Defense has banned it for use by some military personnel, including pilots and missile crews.

The evidence shows that irresponsible physicians prescribe dangerous drugs under the influence of the drugs' manufacturers?  Read more

Natural Health News: Chantix Still A Danger to Health

Dec 17, 2010

A reader was looking for natural alternatives to Chantix/Champix, so I thought I'd provide some information based on methods I've suggested to people over the years that have been very helpful. I generally suggest that if you are a . ...

Natural Health News: Top 10 Drugs: Violence and more Fluoride

Jan 12, 2011

1) Varenicline (Chantix) The anti-smoking medication Chantix affects the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, which helps reduce craving for smoking. Unfortunately, it's 18 times more likely to be linked with violence compared to other ...

Natural Health News: More on the dangers of Chantix

Feb 02, 2008

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that after an analysis of cases of depression, suicidal thoughts and other unusual behavior in patients on the medication, the evidence appears stronger of an association with Chantix. ...

The Chantix File Expands

Jun 18, 2008

“His on-to-Wall-Street approach succeeded in rushing Chantix, Pfizer's stop smoking drug, varenicline, to market but a string of 2006 suicides and the violent death of Dallas musician Carter Albrecht leave many asking if that was such a ...

Chantix Still A Danger to Health

Several years ago I started alerting people to problems with Chantix, mainly because of the suicide risk associated with the drug.

It seems as if the problem with the drug continues to be newsworthy -
Quitting Smoking Can Be Dangerous to Your Health

Selections from Natural Health News 

Natural Ways to Help Stop Smoking

Apr 30, 2009

A reader was looking for natural alternatives to Chantix/Champix, so I thought I'd provide some information based on methods I've suggested to people over the years that have been very helpful. I generally suggest that if you are a ...

Drug Death, the FDA, and You

Dec 16, 2010

The worst offender with the strongest association to uncontrollable, murderous violence--within days of ingesting the drug--is the smoking cessation drug, Chantix (varenicline), which increases dopamine: it ranks 18.0 in the ...

Natural Health News: More on the dangers of Chantix

Feb 02, 2008

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that after an analysis of cases of depression, suicidal thoughts and other unusual behavior in patients on the medication, the evidence appears stronger of an association with Chantix. ...

The Chantix File Expands

Jun 18, 2008

“His on-to-Wall-Street approach succeeded in rushing Chantix, Pfizer's stop smoking drug, varenicline, to market but a string of 2006 suicides and the violent death of Dallas musician Carter Albrecht leave many asking if that was such a

More on problems with smoking and stop smoking drug Chantix

May 22, 2008

A US Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman said the agency was focusing on likely links between Chantix and neuropsychiatric side effects. This year, the FDA and Pfizer, which manufactures the drug, updated warnings on Chantix's ...