Bupropion brands and prices in Pakistan

About Bupropion

Bupropion is a prescription medicine that is used as an antidepressant and also, without any nicotine, to help people stop smoking. It acts on brain activity and is thought to reduce cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms. It comes as slow-release (prolonged-release) tablets. The stop-smoking medicine and the antidepressant contain the same active ingredient. WHO lists bupropion as an essential medicine for stopping smoking and recommends it as one of the treatments that work for quitting tobacco.

Who should not take it, or should take care

• Do not take it if you are allergic to bupropion or any of the tablet ingredients, or if you already take another medicine that contains bupropion.
• Do not take it if you have epilepsy or have ever had a fit.
• Do not take it if you have, or have had, an eating disorder such as bulimia or anorexia.
• Do not take it if you have severe liver disease such as cirrhosis, or a brain tumour.
• Do not take it if you are a heavy drinker who has just stopped, or is about to stop, drinking alcohol, or if you have just stopped, or are about to stop, sedatives or anxiety medicines (especially benzodiazepines) or seizure medicines.
• Bipolar disorder: the UK leaflet for the stop-smoking tablets says not to take it if you have bipolar disorder, while US sources describe it being used for bipolar low mood under a doctor's care. Always tell your doctor if you have ever had mania or bipolar disorder.
• Do not take it if you take, or have recently stopped, an MAOI antidepressant (such as phenelzine, isocarboxazid, selegiline or tranylcypromine), or if you are being treated with linezolid or methylene blue. Your doctor will plan any switch.
• Do not take it if you have had a severe skin reaction to bupropion before.
• Tell your doctor if you drink a lot of alcohol, have diabetes treated with insulin or tablets, or have had a serious head injury, as these raise the risk of fits.
• Tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems, or are over 65, as side effects are more likely and you may need closer checks.
• Tell your doctor if you have had depression or other mental health problems, including any during earlier attempts to quit smoking.
• Tell your doctor if you have high blood pressure, heart disease or a past heart attack, or a heart rhythm condition called Brugada syndrome, or if anyone in your family has had a cardiac arrest or died suddenly.
• Tell your doctor if you use street drugs or have misused prescription medicines.
• Your doctor may suggest an eye check before you start, because of the risk of angle-closure glaucoma.
• Pregnancy: advice differs. The UK leaflet for the stop-smoking tablets says not to take it if you are pregnant, may be pregnant or are planning a pregnancy, because some studies suggest a higher chance of birth defects, mainly heart defects (it is not clear if bupropion is the cause). US sources say to talk to your doctor first. Always ask your doctor.
• Breastfeeding: bupropion passes into breast milk. Ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking it.

Medicines and drinks that can interact

• MAOI antidepressants, linezolid and methylene blue: must not be combined
• Other antidepressants, such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, venlafaxine, imipramine and desipramine
• Antipsychotics such as risperidone and thioridazine
• Parkinson's medicines such as levodopa and amantadine, and orphenadrine
• Epilepsy medicines: carbamazepine, phenytoin and valproate
• Heart and blood medicines: clopidogrel, ticlopidine, metoprolol, propafenone and flecainide
• HIV medicines: ritonavir and efavirenz
• Cancer medicines: cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide; bupropion may also make tamoxifen work less well
• Digoxin, which may work less well
• Medicines that can raise the risk of fits, such as theophylline, tramadol, some antimalarials, steroid tablets or injections, quinolone antibiotics, sedating antihistamines, appetite medicines and diabetes medicines
• Nicotine patches and other nicotine replacement: blood pressure is more likely to rise, so your doctor may check it
• Alcohol: it can make side effects worse, and you may become more sensitive to it
• After you stop smoking, the doses of some other medicines may need to be changed, so tell your doctor about everything you take

Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about every medicine, supplement and herbal product you take.

Using it safely

• Take it exactly as your doctor tells you. It can be taken with or without food.
• Swallow the tablets whole. Do not chew, crush or split them, as this can release the medicine too fast and raise the risk of side effects, including fits.
• If you forget a dose, skip it and carry on as normal. Never take two doses together.
• Do not stop taking it without talking to your doctor first.
• The empty shell of some slow-release tablets may appear in your poo. This is normal and does not mean you did not get your medicine.
• Your doctor may check your blood pressure before and during treatment.
• Do not drive or use machines if it makes you dizzy, drowsy or light-headed.
• Bupropion may affect some urine drug tests. Tell the doctor or lab that you take it.
• Use it alongside stop-smoking support; combining medicine with support makes quitting much more likely to work.
• Keep it out of the reach of children, and do not share it. Do not flush unused tablets down the toilet; return them to a pharmacy.

Common questions

Does bupropion contain nicotine?
No. It is a nicotine-free prescription medicine. It is thought to help by reducing cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Is the stop-smoking medicine the same as the antidepressant?
Yes, they contain the same active ingredient. If you take it to stop smoking, talk to your doctor about the possible mood-related risks of antidepressants.

Can I use nicotine patches at the same time?
Only if your doctor advises it. Using nicotine replacement with bupropion makes a rise in blood pressure more likely, so your blood pressure may need checking.

Can I drink alcohol while taking bupropion?
Talk to your doctor. Alcohol can make side effects worse, and you may feel its effects more. If you drink heavily, do not stop suddenly, because that raises the risk of fits; tell your doctor so they can plan safely.

Why do I need to tell my doctor about fits or eating disorders?
Bupropion can cause fits. The risk is higher in people who have had fits, eating disorders, a serious head injury, heavy drinking, or who suddenly stop alcohol or sedatives, so it is not suitable for some people.

Prepared from the sources listed by the MedInfoBase team. General information, not medical advice: it gives no doses. Your doctor or pharmacist decides the medicine and dose for you.