ArticleDrug design, development and therapy2015
Evaluation of the cardiovascular effects of varenicline in rats.
Article in Drug design, development and therapy, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- Factors influencing baseline electrocardiographic parameters in rats: A systematic review of experimental studies published from 1960 to the present.Physiological reports · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy of Cooling Blankets and Cold Fluid Infusions in Classic Heatstroke Treatment: A Controlled Study in Rats.Journal of inflammation research · 2025Article
- Effects of normal saline versus lactated Ringer's solution on organ function and inflammatory responses to heatstroke in rats.Journal of intensive care · 2024Article
- General anesthesia and electrocardiographic parameters in in vivo experiments involving rats.Physiological research · 2022Article
- Partial Agonist Activity of Neonicotinoids on Rat Nicotinic Receptors: Consequences over Epinephrine Secretion and In Vivo Blood Pressure.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Article
- Evaluation of varenicline usage on ventricular repolarization after smoking cessation.Annals of noninvasive electrocardiology : the official journal of the International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiology, Inc · 2019Article
- Layered patterns in nature, medicine, and materials: quantifying anisotropic structures and cyclicity.PeerJ · 2019Article
- Evidence for cardiotoxicity associated with sertraline in rats.Toxicology research · 2018Article
- Discovery and development of varenicline for smoking cessation.Expert opinion on drug discovery · 2018Review
- Effects of varenicline on lung tissue in the animal model.Jornal brasileiro de pneumologia : publicacao oficial da Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e TisilogiaArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCardiovascular disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among tobacco users. Varenicline is widely used worldwide to help smoking cessation, but some published studies have reported associated cardiovascular events.
objectiveTo determine the cardiovascular toxicity induced by varenicline in rats. MATERIALS AND
methodsWe randomly separated 34 rats into two groups: 1) the control group (given only distilled water orally, n=10) and the varenicline group (given 9 μg/kg/day varenicline on days 1-3, 9 μg/kg twice daily on days 4-7, and 18 μg/kg twice daily on days 8-90 [total 83 days], n=24). Each group was then subdivided equally into acute and chronic subgroups, and all rats in these groups were euthanized with anesthesia overdose on days 45 and 90, respectively. Body and heart weights, hemodynamic (mean oxygen saturation, mean blood pressure, and heart rate, electrocardiographic (PR, QRS, and QT intervals) biochemical (oxidants and antioxidants), and histopathological analyses (including immunostaining) were performed.
resultsAcute varenicline exposure resulted in loss of body weight, while chronic varenicline exposure caused heart weight loss and decreased mean blood pressure, induced lipid peroxidation, and reduced antioxidant activity. Both acute and chronic varenicline exposure caused impairment of mean oxygen saturation. QT interval was prolonged in the chronic varenicline group, while PR interval prolongation was statistically significant in both the control and acute varenicline groups. Caspase-9 activity was also significantly increased by chronic exposure. Moreover, histopathological observations revealed severe morphological heart damage in both groups.
conclusionAdverse effects of chronic varenicline exposure on cardiovascular tissue were confirmed by our electrocardiographic, biochemical, and histopathological analyses. This issue needs to be investigated with new experimental and clinical studies to evaluate the exact mechanism(s) of the detrimental effects of varenicline. Physicians should bear in mind the toxic effects of varenicline on the cardiovascular system when prescribing it for smoking cessation.
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