Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Excerpt

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is designed for individuals who wish to quit smoking. Abruptly discontinuing smoking can trigger withdrawal symptoms and intense cravings, making the quitting process challenging. Nicotine withdrawal emerges when an individual smoking cigarettes abruptly ceases their cigarette usage. NRT offers a controlled way to reduce nicotine dependence and manage these effects gradually. Using NRT effectively diminishes the urge to smoke cigarettes by providing the body with nicotine through a safer alternative method. Nicotine is available in various forms, including patches, lozenges, inhalers, sprays, and gum. These alternatives deliver a controlled dose of nicotine to the body, akin to the amount obtained from cigarettes. This activity outlines the indications, mechanism of action, administration methods, significant adverse effects, contraindications, monitoring strategies, and toxicity of NRT. This information equips healthcare providers to enhance their competence and effectively guide patient therapy, aiding individuals to quit smoking.