Efficacy and safety of antidepressants in supporting smoking cessation

A recent meta-analysis examined the efficacy and safety of antidepressant medications in supporting smoking cessation. A total of 124 randomized controlled trials, involving 48,832 participants, were included. Most participants were adults, although four studies focused on adolescents aged 12 to 21 years. The data analysis showed that bupropion may help people quit smoking in the long term, but its use could lead to serious adverse effects. Additionally, nortriptyline may also be beneficial for smoking cessation, although it appears to be less effective than bupropion. Bupropion may have similar efficacy to nicotine replacement therapies, but it is less effective than the combination of varenicline and nicotine replacement. However, the available studies are insufficient to thoroughly assess the safety of these medications in the context of smoking cessation.