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CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON BUPROPION AND VARENICLINE CLINICAL EFFICACY IN NICOTINE DEPENDENCE

MARINELA CHIRILA^1*, ISABEL GHITA¹, ION FULGA¹

1.University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, Bucharest, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy

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The purpose of this paper was to investigate the efficacy of bupropion and varenicline for treating nicotine dependence as reported in the published studies. We analysed 435 journal articles identified in Pubmed data base with “nicotine, dependence, bupropion / varencline” included in abstract. The “human” filter was applied. 20 efficacy studies were selected and included for evaluation in this review. The results of these studies support the efficacy of both bupropion and varenicline, with varenicline showing higher abstinence rates. However in real life settings high levels of efficacy are lacking for all current available treatments. In addition, treatment related side effects highly influence the patient compliance.