NRT INHALER
Place in Therapy
Place in therapy
Nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) aid in smoking cessation by decreasing the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking. NRT provides nicotine at constant dose without the toxins present in cigarettes. Nicotine inhalers are unique in the sense that they address both physiological dependence on nicotine as well as behaviour dependence of smoking.
Nicotine inhalers can be used as monotherapy or with nicotine patch. While nicotine patches provide long-term nicotine replacement throughout the day, nicotine inhalers are used as breakthrough when the patient is craving a cigarette. The evidence supports the use of combination therapy of nicotine inhaler and any other short-term NRT as first line in patients attempting to quit smoking with use of NRT. Nicotine inhaler’s effectiveness in smoking cessation is similar to gums and lozenges as observed by Hjalmarson et al. in their studies. Thus, nicotine inhalers can be combined with patches as it is most effective or can be used alone.
References
1. Alberta Health Services. Comparisons of medications used for smoking cessation. Last updated: n/a. Accessed on June 7, 2012.
2. Pipe A. Nicotine Replacement Therapy. Ontario Pharmacists’ Association. Last updated: n/a. Accessed on June 7, 2012.
3. Regier L, Jensen B, Chan W. Smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. RxFiles. Last updated: March 2012. Accessed on June 7, 2012.
4. Stead LF, Perera R, Bullen C, Mant D, Lancaster T. Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD000146.
.
Nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) aid in smoking cessation by decreasing the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking. NRT provides nicotine at constant dose without the toxins present in cigarettes. Nicotine inhalers are unique in the sense that they address both physiological dependence on nicotine as well as behaviour dependence of smoking.
Nicotine inhalers can be used as monotherapy or with nicotine patch. While nicotine patches provide long-term nicotine replacement throughout the day, nicotine inhalers are used as breakthrough when the patient is craving a cigarette. The evidence supports the use of combination therapy of nicotine inhaler and any other short-term NRT as first line in patients attempting to quit smoking with use of NRT. Nicotine inhaler’s effectiveness in smoking cessation is similar to gums and lozenges as observed by Hjalmarson et al. in their studies. Thus, nicotine inhalers can be combined with patches as it is most effective or can be used alone.
References
1. Alberta Health Services. Comparisons of medications used for smoking cessation. Last updated: n/a. Accessed on June 7, 2012.
2. Pipe A. Nicotine Replacement Therapy. Ontario Pharmacists’ Association. Last updated: n/a. Accessed on June 7, 2012.
3. Regier L, Jensen B, Chan W. Smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. RxFiles. Last updated: March 2012. Accessed on June 7, 2012.
4. Stead LF, Perera R, Bullen C, Mant D, Lancaster T. Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD000146.
.