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Rationale Decreasing withdrawal and craving during smoking cessation is a major aim of cessation medications. Prior studies have shown that Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) decreases withdrawal symptom severity but have relied on retrospective reports and lacked robust measures of baseline symptoms or symptoms during unmedicated abstinence. Objectives and methods We tested the effect of high-dose (35 mg) nicotine patch on withdrawal and craving during abstinence using real-time assessment with electronic diaries during ad libitum smoking, a brief period of experimentally directed trial abstinence, and the first 3 days of cessation. Subjects were 324 smokers randomized to high-dose nicotine patches or placebo. Results Treatment with active patches reduced withdrawal and craving during cessation and completely eliminated deprivation-related changes in affect or concentration. Conclusion High-dose NRT reduces withdrawal symptoms and craving and can eliminate some symptoms entirely.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Transdermal nicotine replacement - Withdrawal - Smoking cessation
Research Division:	Medical and Health Sciences
Research Group:	Public Health and Health Services
Research Field:	Preventive Medicine
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health)
Objective Field:	Substance Abuse
UTAS Author:	Ferguson, SG (Associate Professor Stuart Ferguson)
ID Code:	57265
Year Published:	2006
Web of Science® Times Cited:	64
Deposited By:	Pharmacy
Deposited On:	2009-07-01
Last Modified:	2011-05-05
Downloads:	3 View Download Statistics