Bupropion Hydrochloride is a drug that is indicated for people who want to quit smoking, helping to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal symptoms and the desire to smoke. In addition, it can also be used to treat depression.
This medicine needs a prescription and is available under the brand name Zyban, from the GlaxoSmithKline lab and in generic form.
What is it for
Bupropion is a substance capable of reducing the urge to smoke of people with addiction to nicotine because it interacts with two chemicals in the brain that are related to addiction and withdrawal. Zyban takes about a week to start working, which is the time the drug needs to reach the required levels in the body.
As bupropion interacts with two brain chemicals related to depression, called noradrenaline and dopamine, it can also be used in the treatment of depression.
How to take
The dosage varies according to the purpose of the treatment:
1. Stop Smoking
Zyban should be used while you are still smoking, and you should set a date to stop smoking during the second week of treatment.
The usual recommended dose is:
- In the first three days, a 150 mg tablet once daily.
- From the fourth day on, a 150 mg tablet, twice a day, at least 8 hours apart and never near bedtime.
If progress is achieved after 7 weeks, the doctor may consider stopping treatment.
2. Dealing with depression
The usual dose recommended for most adults is 1 tablet of 150 mg per day, however, the doctor may increase the dose to 300 mg per day if depression does not improve after several weeks. Doses should be taken at least 8 hours apart, avoiding bedtime.
Possible side effects
The most common adverse reactions that occur with the use of bupropion hydrochloride are insomnia, headache, dry mouth and gastrointestinal disorders such as nausea and vomiting.
Less frequently, allergic reactions, loss of appetite, agitation, anxiety, depression, tremors, dizziness, changes in taste, difficulty concentrating, abdominal pain, constipation, rash, itching, vision disorders, sweating, fever and weakness.
Who should not take
This medication is contraindicated in people who are allergic to any component of the formula, who take other medicines that contain bupropion or that have recently taken tranquilizers, sedatives, or monoamine oxidase inhibitor medicines used in depression or Parkinson's disease.
In addition, it should also not be used by people under 18 years of age, with epilepsy or other seizure disorders, with eating disorders, frequent users of alcoholic beverages or who are trying to quit drinking or stopped shortly.
