Cardiovascular Risk Doesn't Increase During Varenicline Use for Tobacco Cessation

Varenicline (Chantix), a partial nicotine-receptor agonist, is effective for promoting tobacco cessation and abstinence. A previous meta-analysis of 14 randomized trials suggested varenicline was associated with higher cardiovascular (CV) risk (CMAJ 2011; 183:1359). That meta-analysis, however, has been criticized because it included adverse CV events well beyond the treatment period and excluded trials with no adverse events. In this meta-analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials, researchers determined risk for “treatment-emergent” adverse CV events (i.e., during treatment or within 30 days after stopping treatment) associated with varenicline use for tobacco cessation.

Overall, 5400 participants received varenicline, and 3800 received p…