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Continuing to wear nicotine patches after smoking lapses promotes recovery of abstinence

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 09:50 authored by Stuart FergusonStuart Ferguson, Gitchell, JG, Shiffman, S
Aims: Smokers who lapse during a cessation attempt are at particularly high risk of relapse, so interventions to help smokers recover from lapses are urgently needed. Two recent studies have suggested continuing to use nicotine patches following a lapse may be a beneficial relapse prevention strategy. However, to date no study that uses approved doses of nicotine patches under real-world conditions has tested this hypothesis. Design & Setting: Clinical trial conducted across eight US study sites. Participants & Measurements: Using data from 509 subjects (240 active; 269 placebo) who lapsed during weeks 3-5 of treatment in a randomized, double blind placebo controlled trial of 21-mg nicotine patches, we examined whether active nicotine patch use improved the chances of recovering abstinence (7-day point-prevalence) at weeks 6 and 10. Findings: Active patch use (versus placebo) increased the likelihood of recovery from a lapse both at 6 weeks (8.3% vs 0.8%; Relative Risk [RR]=11.0, p<.001) and at 10 weeks (9.6% vs 2.6%; RR=3.7, p<.001). Conclusions: Continuing treatment to aid smoking cessation with active patches promotes recovery from lapses. Smokers should be encouraged to persist with patch treatment if they lapse to smoking.

Funding

Cancer Council of Tasmania

History

Publication title

Addiction

Volume

107

Issue

7

Pagination

1349-1353

ISSN

1360-0443

Department/School

School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Place of publication

The Atrium, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8SQ, UK

Rights statement

Copyright 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Preventive medicine

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

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