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Zyban: Smoking is Left Behind for Good

Substance abuse is one of the most devastating problems of the humans all around the world. It is dangerous due to the large number of people addicted to some sort of substances and often due to the unawareness or not realizing the potential danger of being addicted.

There is hardly a 13-years old boy in the world, who has not at least once tried a cigarette smoking. One in three adults got already used to this bad habit. They hardly ever heard that tobacco is responsible for the estimated 4 million annual deaths by 1998 (which can raise to 8.4 millions by 2020, if nothing changes). Besides, nicotine is to blame for the premature and preventable illness and disability in our society.

In all the times people treated cigarettes as a pleasure, a way to relax and often as a fashionable habit, which made a person look cooler. At the same time, wise men understood that cigarette abuse was evil, an addiction, which eventually ruined a human body and spoiled human’s health. That is why doctors and scientists struggled to find a solving of the problem for those, who were eager to quit smoking, but were so addicted to it that could not stop without a medical help.

Nowadays we have several means known to be of great help in quitting a bad habit of cigarettes smoking. Over-the-counter medications are: nicotine skin patches (Habitrol, NicoDerm, Nicotrol, ProStep), nicotine gums (Nicorette, Nicotine polacrilex) and nicotine lozenge (Commit). Prescription means include nicotine nasal spray (Nicotrol), nicotine inhaler (Nicotrol) and the only available pill for the time being Zyban, marketed by Glaxo-Wellcome. All these means are FDA approved.

The fundamental difference between the pill and the rest of the medications is that Zyban does not contain nicotine. Its main component is bupropion, also a very effective means for fighting depression. This ingredient works on chemicals in the brain, helping reduce the withdrawal symptoms and urge to smoke.

The treatment with this drug begins while a patient still smokes, usually one week prior to the cessation date; all the other medications are used after that point. Zyban therapy continues for 7-12 weeks, which is practically the same as with nicotine chewing gums and patches and shorter than the treatment with inhalers and lozenges.

The maximum recommended dose of Zyban is 300mg/day, given as 150mg tablets twice a day. Many patients find this way of treatment more comfortable, since it is easier than 10 or 15 pieces of chewing gum and lozenges per day; better than 20 minutes of continuous puffing of nicotine inhaler; plus, Zyban can be taken irrespective of meals and drinks; besides, nobody is going to notice one undergoes medical treatment, which is quite important for some people.

Insomnia, dizziness and dry mouth are the most common Zyban side effects. They usually vanish in several days. Unlike the gums, lozenges, sprays and inhalers, the pill does not cause throat and mouth irritation, stomachache and heartburn; neither provokes it headaches, diarrhea, skin itching and vivid dreams as patches do.

Still, there are some conditions, when a person is not advised to take Zyban: seizures, eating disorders and simultaneous taking of Wellbutrin are among them.

Anyway, one should always consult a doctor before starting any treatment. In the case of smoking one of the most important and helpful conditions is a strong will and desire to quit. It is a pity that the latter things are not available as the medications in the pharmacies for the time being, they would help so many people!

Ivanna

External resources
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/zyban/zyban.htm
http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/zyb1506.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a695033.html
http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23069089/