1. Home>
2. Specialties>
3. General Medicine>
4. Summary and Comment

TRANSDERMAL NICOTINE FOR SMOKING CESSATION.

Nicotine gum is commonly prescribed for cigarette smokers trying to quit the habit, but patient compliance is a problem, in part because of gastrointestinal side effects. This report on two randomized, double-blind trials indicates that a transdermal nicotine patch may be more effective.

During two 6-week trials, 935 patients received either a placebo patch or 7, 14, or 21 mg of nicotine through a 24- hour transdermal system. The patches produced plasma nicotine levels lower than those produced by cigarette smoking but similar to those achieved with nicotine gum. The cessation rate for patients using placebo was 27 percent, as compared with 61 percent and 48 percent for the 21-mg and 14-mg nicotine patches, respectively. Moreover, patients who used the 21-mg, 14-mg, and 7-mg nicotine patches and continued smoking reduced their cigarette use by 66 percent, 67 percent, and 19 percent, respectively, relative to placebo users. Six-month abstinence rates were twice as high with the 21-mg transdermal nicotine patch as with placebo (26 percent vs. 12 percent). Compliance was high and side effects were minimal.

These data demonstrate the potential of alternative methods of nicotine delivery for helping nicotine-addicted smokers give up cigarettes.

— THL

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine December 20, 1991

Citation(s):

Transdermal Nicotine Study Group. Transdermal nicotine for smoking cessation: six-month results from two multicenter controlled clinical trials. JAMA 1991 Dec 11 266 3133-3138.

• Medline abstract (Free)