Smoking Cessation With Varenicline, a Selective α4β2 Nicotinic Receptor Partial Agonist

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Abstract
Cigarette smoking remains the world's leading cause of preventable death,1 contributing to 5 million premature deaths in 2000,2 which is estimated to increase to 10 million by 2020.1 Surveys show that most smokers want to quit,3 but most attempts are unaided, with success rates of only 3% to 5% at 1 year.3 Current pharmacotherapies, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), bupropion hydrochloride, and nortriptyline hydrochloride, have shown moderate success, typically doubling short-term quit rates vs placebo,4-7 with success at 1 year averaging approximately 7% to 30%, depending on the level of adjunctive behavioral counseling.8,9 Consequently, additional, more efficacious smoking cessation medications are needed.