When used with nicotine replacement therapy and cognitive-behavioral counseling, bupropion did not improve one-year smoking cessation rates

Nutrition Health Review, Summer, 2004

WHEN USED WITH NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY and cognitive-behavioral counseling, bupropion (Zyban[R]) did not improve one-year smoking cessation rates, but it did appear to reduce several withdrawal symptoms.

In a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2004;164 September 13), current smokers older than 20 years of age who did not have major depression or a recent history of alcohol abuse were treated for seven weeks with either bupropion or a placebo in addition to other therapies. Cigarette discontinuation rates were reported by the smokers themselves, and abstinence was confirmed at the one-year mark.

Although the use of bupropion indicated a slightly better quit rate at the end of treatment, the numbers were virtually the same after two years. Participants who received bupropion reported significantly fewer cravings and depressed periods during the treatment, but they had more cases of dry mouth and upset stomach.