Concurrent Bupropion / Varenicline for Smoking Cessation

Concurrent Bupropion / Varenicline for Smoking Cessation

This study focuses on the first step in developing an algorithm for maximizing quit-smoking success based on an adaptive approach, which changes treatment from the initial nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) when that treatment alone may not be sufficient. These NRT "non-responders" are switched (in double-blind fashion) before the quit date to receive either varenicline alone or varenicline paired with bupropion. Some participants who would otherwise have failed at their quit smoking attempt could be "rescued" by switching to alternative pharmacotherapies. The proposed study will evaluate the combination treatment against varenicline alone in an adaptive trial design

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-65 years old;
• smoked an average of at least 10 cigarettes per day for three cumulative years;
• have an expired air CO reading assessed at screening of at least 10ppm;
• express a desire to quit smoking within the next 30 days.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hypertension (systolic >140 mm Hg, diastolic >100 mm Hg, coupled with a history of hypertension); subjects with no previous diagnosis of hypertension may have a screening blood pressure up to 160/100.
• Hypotension with symptoms (systolic <90 mm Hg, diastolic <60 mm Hg).
• Coronary heart disease;
• Lifetime history of heart attack;
• Cardiac rhythm disorder (irregular heart rhythm);
• Chest pains (unless history, exam, and ECG clearly indicate a non-cardiac source);
• Cardiac (heart) disorder (including but not limited to valvular heart disease, heart murmur, heart failure);
• History of skin allergy;
• Active skin disorder (e.g., psoriasis) within the last five years, except minor skin conditions (including but not limited to facial acne, minor localized infections, and superficial minor wounds);
• Liver or kidney disorder (except kidney stones, gallstones);
• Gastrointestinal problems or disease other than gastroesophageal reflux or heartburn;
• Active ulcers in the past 30 days;
• Currently symptomatic lung disorder/disease (including but not limited to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, and asthma);
• Brain abnormality (including but not limited to stroke, brain tumor, and seizure disorder);
• Migraine headaches that occur more frequently than once per week;
• Recent, unexplained fainting spells;
• Problems giving blood samples;
• Diabetes treated with insulin; non-insulin treated diabetes (unless glucose is less than 180mg/dcl and HbA1c is less than 7%);
• Current cancer or treatment for cancer in the past six months (except basal or squamous cell skin cancer);
• Other major medical condition;
• Current psychiatric disease (with the exception of anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and ADHD);
• Suicidal ideation (within the past 10 years) or lifetime occurrence of attempted suicide;
• Current depression;
• Bulimia or anorexia;
• Pregnant or nursing mothers;
• Alcohol abuse;
• Use of Opiate medications for pain or sleep in the past 14 days;
• Significant adverse reaction to nicotine patches, nicotine inhalers, bupropion / Wellbutrin / Zyban or Chantix / Varenicline in the past.
• Use (within the past 30 days) of:
• Illegal drugs (or if the urine drug screen is positive),
• Experimental (investigational) drugs;
• Psychiatric medications including antidepressants, anti-psychotics or any other medications that are known to affect smoking cessation (e.g. clonidine);
• Smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco, snuff), cigars, pipes or e-cigarettes;
• Wellbutrin, bupropion, Zyban, Chantix, nicotine replacement therapy or any other smoking cessation aid.