Edward J Mills1, Kristian Thorlund, Shawn Eapen, Ping Wu, Judith J Prochaska. 1. Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (E.J.M., K.T., J.J.P.); Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada (E.J.M., S.E., P.W.); and Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada (K.T.).
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Stopping smoking is associated with many important improvements in health and quality of life. The use of cessation medications is recommended to increase the likelihood of quitting. However, there is historical and renewed concern that smoking cessation therapies may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease events associated within the quitting period. We aimed to examine whether the 3 licensed smoking cessation therapies-nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, and varenicline-were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease events using a network meta-analysis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We searched 10 electronic databases, were in communication with authors of published randomized, clinical trials (RCTs), and accessed internal US Food and Drug Administration reports. We included any RCT of the 3 treatments that reported cardiovascular disease outcomes. Among 63 eligible RCTs involving 21 nicotine replacement therapy RCTs, 28 bupropion RCTs, and 18 varenicline RCTs, we found no increase in the risk of all cardiovascular disease events with bupropion (relative risk [RR], 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-1.73) or varenicline (RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.79-2.23). There was an elevated risk associated with nicotine replacement therapy that was driven predominantly by less serious events (RR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.39-3.82). When we examined major adverse cardiovascular events, we found a protective effect with bupropion (RR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.21-0.85) and no clear evidence of harm with varenicline (RR, 1.34; 95% CI, 0.66-2.66) or nicotine replacement therapy (RR, 1.95; 95% CI, 0.26-4.30). CONCLUSION: Smoking cessation therapies do not appear to raise the risk of serious cardiovascular disease events.
BACKGROUND: Stopping smoking is associated with many important improvements in health and quality of life. The use of cessation medications is recommended to increase the likelihood of quitting. However, there is historical and renewed concern that smoking cessation therapies may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease events associated within the quitting period. We aimed to examine whether the 3 licensed smoking cessation therapies-nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, and varenicline-were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease events using a network meta-analysis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We searched 10 electronic databases, were in communication with authors of published randomized, clinical trials (RCTs), and accessed internal US Food and Drug Administration reports. We included any RCT of the 3 treatments that reported cardiovascular disease outcomes. Among 63 eligible RCTs involving 21 nicotine replacement therapy RCTs, 28 bupropion RCTs, and 18 varenicline RCTs, we found no increase in the risk of all cardiovascular disease events with bupropion (relative risk [RR], 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-1.73) or varenicline (RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.79-2.23). There was an elevated risk associated with nicotine replacement therapy that was driven predominantly by less serious events (RR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.39-3.82). When we examined major adverse cardiovascular events, we found a protective effect with bupropion (RR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.21-0.85) and no clear evidence of harm with varenicline (RR, 1.34; 95% CI, 0.66-2.66) or nicotine replacement therapy (RR, 1.95; 95% CI, 0.26-4.30). CONCLUSION: Smoking cessation therapies do not appear to raise the risk of serious cardiovascular disease events.
Authors: Douglas E Jorenby; J Taylor Hays; Nancy A Rigotti; Salomon Azoulay; Eric J Watsky; Kathryn E Williams; Clare B Billing; Jason Gong; Karen R Reeves Journal: JAMA Date: 2006-07-05 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: A M Joseph; S M Norman; L H Ferry; A V Prochazka; E C Westman; B G Steele; S E Sherman; M Cleveland; D O Antonuccio; D O Antonnucio; N Hartman; P G McGovern Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1996-12-12 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Maciej Lukasz Goniewicz; Jakub Knysak; Michal Gawron; Leon Kosmider; Andrzej Sobczak; Jolanta Kurek; Adam Prokopowicz; Magdalena Jablonska-Czapla; Czeslawa Rosik-Dulewska; Christopher Havel; Peyton Jacob; Neal Benowitz Journal: Tob Control Date: 2013-03-06 Impact factor: 7.552
Authors: Přemysl Mladěnka; Lenka Applová; Jiří Patočka; Vera Marisa Costa; Fernando Remiao; Jana Pourová; Aleš Mladěnka; Jana Karlíčková; Luděk Jahodář; Marie Vopršalová; Kurt J Varner; Martin Štěrba Journal: Med Res Rev Date: 2018-01-05 Impact factor: 12.944
Authors: Neil M Davies; Amy E Taylor; Gemma Mj Taylor; Taha Itani; Tim Jones; Richard M Martin; Marcus R Munafò; Frank Windmeijer; Kyla H Thomas Journal: Health Technol Assess Date: 2020-02 Impact factor: 4.014
Authors: Marie D Gerhard-Herman; Heather L Gornik; Coletta Barrett; Neal R Barshes; Matthew A Corriere; Douglas E Drachman; Lee A Fleisher; Francis Gerry R Fowkes; Naomi M Hamburg; Scott Kinlay; Robert Lookstein; Sanjay Misra; Leila Mureebe; Jeffrey W Olin; Rajan A G Patel; Judith G Regensteiner; Andres Schanzer; Mehdi H Shishehbor; Kerry J Stewart; Diane Treat-Jacobson; M Eileen Walsh Journal: Circulation Date: 2016-11-13 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Kar-Hai Chu; Ariel Shensa; Jason B Colditz; Jaime E Sidani; Beth L Hoffman; David Sinclair; Mary G Krauland; Brian A Primack Journal: Health Educ Behav Date: 2020-02-24