?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Varenicline+%E2%80%93+a+new+pharmacotherapy+for+smoking+cessation+in+primary+care+practice&rft.creator=Robson%2C+Noorzurani+&rft.subject=Social+Psychology&rft.description=Background%3A+Cigarette+smoking+causes+significant+morbidity+and+mortality+and+is+a+major+public+health+concern+worldwide.+Primary+care+doctors+are+in+a+unique+position+that+enables+them+to+promote+smoking+cessation%2C+as+smokers+are+more+aware+of+their+health+at+the+time+of+their+clinic+visit.+It+is+thus+important+to+offer+effective+treatment+to+help+smokers+stop+smoking.+Methods%3A+A+search+of+PubMed+was+done+up+to+16+December+2009%2C+using+the+keywords+%E2%80%9Cvarenicline%E2%80%9D+alone%2C+%E2%80%9Cvarenicline%E2%80%9D+and+%E2%80%9Cfamily+medicine%E2%80%9D%2C+and+%E2%80%9Cvarenicline%E2%80%9D+and+%E2%80%9Cprimary+care%E2%80%9D.+The+search+produced+426+articles+on+varenicline.+The+articles+that+were+chosen+were+case+reports%2C+meta-analyses%2C+review+articles+and+clinical+trials+published+in+English.+Results%3A+A+new+drug+called+varenicline+has+recently+been+introduced+to+assist+smoking+cessation.+It+is+an+%CE%B14%CE%B22+nicotinic+acetylcholine+receptor+partial+agonist.+Varenicline+has+a+unique+action+that+relieves+the+cravings+and+withdrawal+symptoms+that+occur+during+smoking+abstinence%2C+while+blocking+the+receptor+and+preventing+any+reward+from+additional+smoking.+It+has+been+shown+to+be+efficacious+for+smoking+cessation+in+normal+smokers%3B+however%2C+its+safety+in+smokers+with+mental+health+problems+needs+to+be+elucidated.+Conclusion%3A+The+currently+available+data+support+the+effectiveness+of+varenicline+to+treat+nicotine+dependence%2C+but+caution+is+needed+in+smokers+with+mental+health+problems.+Thus%2C+primary+care+doctors+have+a+new+pharmacological+option+to+offer+smokers+who+wish+to+stop+smoking.&rft.publisher=Scopus&rft.date=2010&rft.type=Journal+(Paginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F8136%2F1%2FVarenicline-South%2520Africa%2520Family%2520Practice-vol%252052%2520%25285%2529-2010.pdf&rft.identifier=++Robson%2C+Noorzurani+++(2010)+Varenicline+%E2%80%93+a+new+pharmacotherapy+for+smoking+cessation+in+primary+care+practice.++%5BJournal+(Paginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F8136%2F