You’ve heard of adding insult to injury, but does Chantix add injury to injury? Patients who used the anti-smoking drug only to find their pre-existing medical conditions worsen to the point of developing Chantix heart problems or Chantix depression and suicide would answer: yes.

Some Chantix side effects are exacerbated pre-existing conditions

Scientific studies have yet to confirm a causal link between Chantix heart problems and Chantix depression and suicide. Yet the two disparate side effects do share one thing in common, in that they are both often exacerbations of previously existing conditions. In other words, Chantix has been known to make previously manageable medical problems much worse, often intensifying the symptoms to life-threatening levels.

Patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, for instance, are especially susceptible to Chantix heart problems such as angina pectoris, heart attack, vascular disease and coronary revascularization. In the same way, people with a history of mental illness, including even mild cases, are at high risk to fall victim to neuropsychiatric disorders, including Chantix depression and suicide.

Chantix does not completely eradicate the need the to smoke, but the powerful drug, also known as varenicline, has been known to decrease nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It works by blocking nicotine receptors in the brain so that they can no longer become stimulated by nicotine and produce a pleasure response in the smoker. Chantix has also been shown to mimic the effects of nicotine in the brain, by causing a small release of dopamine, known as the brain’s “reward neurotransmitter.”

Neurological side effects of Chantix unpredictable

The effect of varenicline on the neurochemistry of the brain is not always exact, however, and as a result has been known to cause Chantix depression and suicide. Chantix lawsuits alleging neuropsychiatric disorders had become so widespread that in 2009 the FDA issued its strongest black box warning about “the risk of serious mental health events” related to Chantix use. The FDA mandated that the drug’s label be revised to alert patients to the high risk of side effects such as uncontrollable aggression, psychosis, homicidal impulses, Chantix depression and suicide.

The rise of Chantix lawsuits also helped to spur the FDA to release its June 2011 public safety alert concerning Chantix heart problems. The warning cited the increased risk of “cardiovascular adverse” events for Chantix users with histories of cardiovascular disease. The FDA alert also pointed out that smoking poses the highest risk of all to cardiovascular health.