Open AccessEvaluation of varenicline usage on ventricular repolarization after smoking cessation
Author(s) -
Yıldırım Duygu İlke,
Hayıroğlu Mert İlker,
Ünal Neriman,
Eryılmaz Mehmet Ali
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
annals of noninvasive electrocardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.494
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1542-474X
pISSN - 1082-720X
DOI - 10.1111/anec.12609
Subject(s) - varenicline , medicine , smoking cessation , cardiology , partial agonist , qt interval , anesthesia , pharmacology , nicotine , agonist , pathology , receptor
Background Varenicline, which is a selective partial agonist of the alpha4–beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, is used for the smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. Cardiovascular adverse effects have been reported after varenicline usage in patients who stop smoking. We investigated the effect of varenicline usage on ventricular repolarization after smoking cessation. Methods In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated the cardiac arrhythmic effects of varenicline by comparing smoking patients ( n = 214) before and after varenicline usage. Varenicline administered patients were also compared to ex‐smoker individuals ( n = 50) who quit smoking without varenicline usage in terms of ventricular repolarization parameters. Results After calculated according to Fridericia's and Framingham's formulas, QTc intervals were significantly increased when patients compared before and after smoking cessation with varenicline (402.9 ± 24.5 ms vs. 409.1 ± 25.0 ms p < 0.001 and 376.5 ± 15.2 ms, vs. 380.6 ± 13.5 ms; p < 0.001, respectively). There was no arrhythmic event during the follow‐up. The change in Tp‐e and QTc following varenicline usage was negatively correlated with the smoking packet/year. ( ρ : −0.443, p < 0.001 and ρ = −0.601, p < 0.001) Conclusion Varenicline usage was demonstrated to prolong ventricular repolarization parameters similar to animal studies. Varenicline may have a role to predispose cardiac dysrhythmias after utilization in smoking cessation.