According to an international study, it was found out that Champix, an anti-quitting drug can lead to the risks of some heart problems like heart attacks, strokes and some other heart problems.

In Australia, a major testing of 14 trials of the drug Champix, researchers have found that the people consuming the drug have a 72 per cent higher risk of heart problems as compared to those who try some other methods of quitting smoking.

"Among smokers both with and without heart disease, we see a substantial increase in serious cardiac risks with Champix; substantial meaning more than 70 per cent. The kind of events we are talking about include stroke, heart attack," says Sonal Singh of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the United States.

This drug is only available on the prescription and is now subsidised under the Government's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The study has revealed that people who are using this drug are facing some minor heart problems like pain in heart and some other minor problems.

Professor Garry Jennings has reported that Varenicline which is sold as Champix should be used for a short period of time so that there are minimum risks of any cardiac problems to the people using this drug.