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Pharmacologic Agents for Tobacco Dependence Treatment: 2011 Update

  • Nonstatin Drugs (W Borden, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Tobacco use remains the most important worldwide cause of preventable death due mainly to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic lung disease. If the current tobacco pandemic continues for another 20 years, the annual global tobacco-attributable mortality will exceed 8 million. In the US and many European countries, public health and tobacco control efforts combined with effective tobacco dependence treatment using combined behavioral treatment and pharmacotherapy have contributed significantly to steadily declining rates of tobacco use. Subsequent declines in cardiovascular disease and lung cancer death rates are directly attributable to these lower rates of tobacco use. Despite smoking bans, health warnings and effective pharmacotherapy, one in five Americans continue to smoke. Continued research in tobacco dependence treatment has resulted in newer and more effective pharmacotherapy. In this review, we provide a current update of pharmacologic agents for tobacco dependence treatment and a discussion of recent controversy regarding adverse effects of some these medications.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

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Disclosure

J.T. Hays has received grants (paid to his institution) from Pfizer and Nabi Biopharmaceuticals. D.D. McFadden had Pfizer reimburse his institution (Mayo Clinic) for Pfizer-sponsored tobacco treatment seminars he conducted in Mexico and South America; Pfizer also covered his travel expenses for those seminars. J.O. Ebbert has been a consultant for and had travel expenses reimbursed by GlaxoSmithKline, and has also received a grant (paid to his institution) from Pfizer.

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  1. Nicotine Dependence Center, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    J. Taylor Hays, David D. McFadden & Jon O. Ebbert

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  1. J. Taylor Hays
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  3. Jon O. Ebbert
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Correspondence to J. Taylor Hays.

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Hays, J.T., McFadden, D.D. & Ebbert, J.O. Pharmacologic Agents for Tobacco Dependence Treatment: 2011 Update. Curr Atheroscler Rep 14, 85–92 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-011-0211-2

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