Chantix Versus Zyban: Which One is the Better Drug?
Chantix is always compared to Zyban and vice versa. And this is not really surprising, given that the two generally works the same way – and that is to cure a person out of his destructive smoking habit. But that is not the only connection of these two quit smoking drugs. From 1997 until today, the FDA had approved only two drugs to curb smoking. And you guessed it right – only Zyban and Chantix were able to get the seal.
While both Chantix and Zyban are used for the same purpose, they work differently from one another. Chantix's main ingredient is Varenicline. Chantix works by reducing a person's craving for nicotine. The lesser the person wants nicotine, the lesser he smokes. The drug also addresses the nicotine withdrawal symptom, which is very common to people who suddenly stopped smoking. Generally, Chantix would make you want nicotine less minus the side effects.
On the other hand, Zyban works differently. It is actually an anti-depressant medicine that was later seen to cure smoking. It follows a certain smoking cessation theory and mechanism that were developed by certain scientists. However, the full effects of Zyban to smokers are yet to be determined in full detail.
Pfizer is the pharmaceutical giant that created Chantix. The FDA approved Chantix as an anti-smoking drug in May 2006. Its main ingredient, Varenicline, is specifically designed to reduce nicotine intake, the body's craving for it, and the withdrawal effects associated to stopping the habit. Chantix works by blocking the brain's receptors. They are also the ones that get addicted to nicotine.
If used within the standard 12-week therapy program, a 44% success rate is expected. People who are using the drug for more than a year exhibit an abstinence level of 22%. Taking 1 mg of Chantix twice daily is efficient enough to cure a person out of his smoking habit. Chantix need not be used with any other smoking cessation drugs to produce the desired effect.
On the other hand, the manufacturer of Zyban is GlaxoSmithKline. Its main ingredient is Bupropion Hydrochloride, the substance that is believed to cause positive effects on a person who wishes to quit smoking. The FDA approved Zyban almost 10 years prior to Chantix. But then again, the main purpose of creating the drug is not to address a person's smoking habits. Instead, it is actually fashioned as an anti-depression drug for the treatment of individuals who suffer from major depressive disorders.
Zyban was only marketed as an anti-smoking drug later on because a lot of patients who have been using it for depression had reported increased abstinence from smoking. This had lead to the drug being repackaged as an anti-smoking drug, instead for the medical concern it is initially created for. How the drug actually works to treat smokers is yet to be discovered.
Comparing Zyban with the 12-week treatment therapy of Chantix, Zyban works only 29.5% of the time. If taken in one full year, 16% of the patients report that they were able to totally abstain from smoking. The regular dosage of Zyban is 150 mg – that's 150% more than Chantix and yet, Chantix works better than it. And to fully experience total healing from smoking, Zyban has to be combined with another drug, the NTS.
Given these comparison facts, it is clear to see that Chantix is your better option. Compared to its closest rival, Zyban doesn't hold water at all.
Chantix will definitely cure you from smoking and that's a fact. It is the drug you have been waiting for all along.