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Spectral Confocal Imaging of Fluorescently tagged Nicotinic Receptors in Knock-in Mice with Chronic Nicotine Administration
Published on: February 10, 2012
Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation
Lindsay F Stead1, Rafael Perera, Chris Bullen
1Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford,Oxford,UK. lindsay.stead@phc.ox.ac.uk.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|November 16, 2012
Summary
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) significantly increases smoking cessation success rates by 50-70% across various forms and settings. Different NRT formulations and combination therapies show varying effectiveness, with no increased risk of heart attacks.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Pharmacotherapy for Smoking Cessation
- Public Health Interventions
Background:
- Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) aims to reduce smoking motivation and withdrawal symptoms.
- NRT facilitates the transition from smoking to complete abstinence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of NRT compared to placebo in aiding smoking cessation.
- To compare the effectiveness of different NRT formulations and combination therapies.
- To determine factors influencing NRT effectiveness, including dosage, support intensity, and clinical setting.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- Searched Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group trials register for NRT studies.
- Included trials with at least six months follow-up, reporting cessation rates.
Main Results:
- NRT use increased smoking abstinence rates by 60% (RR 1.60).
- Effectiveness varied by NRT type: nasal spray (RR 2.02), inhaler (RR 1.90), oral tablets/lozenges (RR 1.95), patch (RR 1.64), and gum (RR 1.49).
- Combination NRT was more effective than single-type NRT (RR 1.34); NRT efficacy was independent of support intensity.
Conclusions:
- All commercially available NRT forms effectively increase smoking cessation success rates.
- NRT boosts quitting rates by 50-70%, irrespective of the setting or support intensity.
- NRT is a safe and effective smoking cessation aid, with no evidence of increased heart attack risk.
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