title: [Uneasiness about the safety of bupropion as an aid to smoking cessation unjustified ].
abstract: A report in a national newspaper on Thursday 26 April 2001, linked the anti-smoking drug bupropion to 41 deaths. From the reports of suspected adverse reactions received by the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Foundation, it appears that more than half the cases concerned patients at risk of developing smoking-related diseases. In 15 cases, the simultaneous use of bupropion and another antidepressant (10 patients), theophylline (1 patient) or insulin (4 patients) was reported, even though these combinations may lead to an increase in the risk of seizures. Furthermore, 2 patients were reported to have been taking anti-epileptics, despite the fact that use of bupropion is contra-indicated in patients with a seizure disorder. The results seem to illustrate that the guidelines described in the product information are not being adhered to in all cases. Provided that bupropion is used according to the guidelines in the product information, this new aid in smoking cessation is considered an effective and safe drug. It is highly unlikely that bupropion has contributed to any deaths. If prescribed appropriately and in combination with counselling (e.g. minimal intervention strategy), bupropion is as yet the most effective aid in helping people stop smoking.
authors.affiliation: Universiteit Maastricht, capaciteitsgroep Huisartsgeneeskunde, Postbus 616, 6200 MD Maastricht. edwin.wagena@hag.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Wagena
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Chavannes
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: van Grootheest
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: van Schayck
mesh_terms: D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016642:Bupropion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D000075202:Contraindications; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D007328:Insulin / Q000009:adverse effects; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013806:Theophylline / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D016642:Bupropion; D013806:Theophylline
vernacular_title: Onrust over de veiligheid van bupropion als middel om te stoppen met roken onterecht.