BACKGROUND Placebo-controlled trials indicate that cytisine, a partial agonist that binds the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and is used for smoking cessation, almost doubles the chances of quitting at 6 months. We investigated whether cytisine was at least as effective as nicotine-replacement therapy in helping smokers to quit. METHODS We conducted a pragmatic, open-label, noninferiority t...

OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness and safety of nicotine replacement therapy assisted reduction to stop smoking. DESIGN Systematic review of randomised controlled trials. DATA SOURCES Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Science Citation Index, registries of ongoing trials, reference lists, the drug company that sponsored most of the trials, and clinical experts. Rev...

The overall effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy could be greater if the therapy were targeted at those most likely to respond. Variants of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2 32806 C/T) have been implicated in the initiation and maintenance of smoking, 2 and these variants may also be related to response to nicotine replacement therapy. Additionally, mechanisms of nicotine addiction may di...

Smoking has been associated with several concerns in pregnancy including miscarriage, preterm delivery and stillbirth. Unfortunately, approximately 12% of the pregnant population continue to smoke cigarettes, suggesting a need for additional therapy beyond behavioural change. This paper reviews the literature on the use of nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion (Zyban(R)) in the pregnant hu...

There are a large number of smokers who want to quit smoking but have failed in their attempts to do so, with many having been unsuccessful at quitting multiple times over their lifetime. The existing marketed nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) have only marginal effectiveness and none provide a comparable physiological response to that derived from cigarette smoking; that is, rapid absorptio...

OBJECTIVE To review the literature on nicotine dependence, nicotine pharmacology, health consequences associated with the use of nicotine, and nicotine replacement therapies used to aid smokers who are nicotine dependent. DATA SOURCES A review of articles, book bibliographies, and published studies identified by a search of the MEDLINE database from 1982 to 1996 on nicotine dependence, nicoti...

Current treatments for smoking cessation such as nicotine replacement therapy or varenicline address the primary reinforcer of smoking (nicotine), but sensorimotor stimuli (e.g. smell/taste of smoke, inhaling/exhaling, airway sensations, holding the cigarette) may act as secondary reinforcers and also contribute to smoking reward. Addressing both these aspects of smoking may help to enhance smo...