Abstract
The pharmacological therapy for smoking cessation recommended by National Institute for Health and care Excellence (NICE) guidelines is nicotine replacement therapy such as gum, inhalator, lozenge, nasal spray, oral spray, sublingual tablet, and transdermal patch. Medications such as bupropion and varenicline are also used. Varenicline is the only established drug used to alleviate symptoms of craving as it acts as a partial nicotine agonist. Galantamine has a similar mechanism of action where it is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and nicotinic receptor agonist. However, varenicline is the only recommended drug. There are not many studies to illustrate the effectiveness of galantamine for smoking cessation. This article explores the possibility of potential use of galantamine in alleviating the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.
Highlights
Smoking is a major risk factor for several medical conditions
The pharmacological therapy for smoking cessation recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines (2018) is nicotine replacement therapy such as gum, inhalator, lozenges, nasal spray, oral spray, sublingual tablets, and transdermal patch [3]
If we compare the side effect profile of varenicline and galantamine, both have cardiovascular side effects and are recommended for use with caution
Summary
Smoking is a major risk factor for several medical conditions. According to a study by West et al [1], the prevalence of smoking has risen in England by 5.5% in 2020 [1]. Public Health England in 2020 reported that, while a reduction in smoking rates has been noticed among adults with long-term mental health illness, a drop of 8.5% from 35.3% in 2013-14 to 26.8% in 2018-19, the prevalence remains significantly higher, despite equal levels of motivation to quit [2]. The pharmacological therapy for smoking cessation recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines (2018) is nicotine replacement therapy such as gum, inhalator, lozenges, nasal spray, oral spray, sublingual tablets, and transdermal patch [3]. Medications such as bupropion and varenicline are used [3]. This article will focus on another agent which could potentially be used to reduce nicotine cravings
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
