What is the best way to use nicotine replacement therapy to | Figure 1
%27%3e%3cg%20id=%27Group-14%27%20transform=%27translate(13.000000,%20103.176124)%27%3e%3cg%20id=%27Group-Copy-5%27%20transform=%27translate(0.000000,%20182.676124)%27%3e%3crect%20id=%27Rectangle-8%27%20fill=%27%23E2E0DE%27%20x=%270%27%20y=%270%27%20width=%2736%27%20height=%2736%27%20rx=%2718%27%3e%3c/rect%3e%3cpath%20d=%27M28,27.6503435%20C28,22.127496%2023.5228474,17.6503435%2018,17.6503435%20C12.4771525,17.6503435%208,22.127496%208,27.6503435%20M18,16.3472505%20C20.8165136,16.3472505%2023.099749,14.0640151%2023.099749,11.2475015%20C23.099749,8.43098783%2020.8165136,6.1477524%2018,6.1477524%20C15.1834863,6.1477524%2012.9002509,8.43098783%2012.9002509,11.2475015%20C12.9002509,14.0640151%2015.1834863,16.3472505%2018,16.3472505%20Z%27%20id=%27Combined-Shape%27%20fill=%27%23FFFFFF%27%20fill-rule=%27nonzero%27%3e%3c/path%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Deleted account
Some actions are only available when you log in.
What is the best way to use nicotine replacement therapy to quit smoking?
Key messages
Using a combination of nicotine patches together with another type of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (such as gum or lozenge) is more likely to help people quit smoking than if they used one type of NRT alone. We also found that people who smoke have the same chance of quitting successfully whether they use a nicotine patch or another type of NRT, such as gum, lozenge or nasal spray.
More high‐quality studies on different NRT patch doses, durations of NRT use, types of fast‐acting NRT, and NRT use prior to quit day are needed to know which treatments work best to help people quit smoking. These studies should report safety outcomes and withdrawals due to treatment.
What we found
We found 68 completed studies conducted in 43,327 participants. Most participants were adults who wanted to quit smoking.
Main results
People who smoke have the same chances of quitting successfully whether they use a nicotine patch to quit or another type of NRT, such as gum, lozenge or nasal spray. Using nicotine patches together with another type of NRT (such as gum or lozenge) made it 17% to 37% more likely that a person would successfully stop smoking than if they used one type of NRT alone.
People who used higher‐dose nicotine patches (25 mg patches worn for 16 hours, or 21 mg patches worn for 24 hours) were more likely to quit smoking compared to those using lower‐dose patches (15 mg patches worn for 16 hours or 14 mg patches worn for 24 hours). However, there was not any clear evidence to suggest that people using 42 mg or 44 mg patches were more likely to quit than people using 21 mg or 22 mg (24‐hour) patches.
Starting to use NRT before a quit day may help more people to quit than only using it after a quit day, but more evidence is needed to strengthen this conclusion.
We also looked at how long NRT should be used for, whether NRT should be used on a schedule or on demand as craved, and whether more people stop smoking when NRT is provided for free versus if they have to pay for it. More research is needed to answer these questions.
Most studies did not look at the safety of NRT. Where studies did look at safety, they found that very few people experienced negative effects.