Nicotine replacement therapy doesn't increase heart problems

Nicotine replacement gums and patches or popular drugs prescribed to help people quit smoking such as Chantix may not harm heart in users, according to a study.

The American Heart Association journal Circulation said in recent years, there has been concerns that some smoking cessation products may have serious cardiovascular risks, Xinhua news agency reported.

But in the largest analysis of side effects of three major smoking cessation products, serious heart events did not increase with nicotine replacement gums and patches, nicotine addiction treatment Chantix and the antidepressant Wellbutrin.

The new study looked at 63 clinical trials of 30,508 people and found that overall, smoking cessation is associated with improved cardiovascular health, increased life expectancy, improved quality of life and reduced healthcare costs.

"Undoubtedly, the benefits of quitting smoking outweigh any potential risks from smoking cessation therapies," said Edward Mills, study co-author and associate professor of medicine at Stanford University and Canada Research Chair at the University of Ottawa.

Although nicotine replacement therapy via patch or gum was linked to a risk of a rapid or irregular heartbeat, the researchers said the heart symptoms were minor and temporary.

"These more minor risks are well known to clinicians and usually pass with time," Mills said.

"They occur most often when people are taking nicotine replacement therapy and smoking at the same time which is a bad idea."

Previous research found combination nicotine replacement therapy, wearing a patch and using nicotine gum may be more effective but leads to more side effects than using gum or patch alone.

But Mills said most patients in the analysis were relatively healthy so the results may not be true for everyone.

"It's possible that the risk factors might be different in people with multiple diseases," he said.

"Patients should discuss with their healthcare provider any potential risk factors that they may have developed from their smoking history. For patients who have chronic lung disease or other associated cardiovascular risks, clinicians should determine which smoking cessation aid to use by their risk profiles."