varenicline

General information

• Class: Adjunctive therapy
• Common US brands: Chantix
• Therapeutic drug monitoring not routinely recommended.
• Last reviewed: 2025-12-30

Dosing & forms

• Forms/strengths: —
• Frequency: —
• Food: —
• Typical range: —

Mechanism (brief)

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist (α4β2) used to support smoking cessation by reducing cravings and blunting nicotine reinforcement; often paired with behavioral support (label/guideline).

Metabolism & Half‑life

• Metabolism: Minimal metabolism; primarily renal excretion (label)
• Half‑life: Single-dose mean 24 h

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM)

Recommended: No

Monitoring highlights

• —

Sources

• Varenicline tablets prescribing information — DailyMed (2025)
• Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2016)
• Neuropsychiatric safety and efficacy of varenicline, bupropion, and nicotine patch in smokers with and without psychiatric disorders (EAGLES): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial — The Lancet (2016)
• Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2008)