Pharmacotherapy

U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline -- 2008 Update to Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence

Prescribing Guidelines -- Keep this detailed pharmacologic product guide in your office for quick access to information on dosing, precautions and side effects of FDA-approved tobacco-cessation medications.
(2-page PDF file; About PDFs)

Journal Articles:

Efficacy of Varenicline, an alpha4beta2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Partial Agonist, vs Placebo or Sustained-Release Bupropion for Smoking Cessation -- A July 2006 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article on a study to determine the efficacy and safety of varenicline for smoking cessation compared with placebo or sustained-release bupropion.

Effect of Maintenance Therapy With Varenicline on Smoking Cessation -- A July 2006 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article of study results to determine whether smokers who quit after 12 weeks of treatment with varenicline, a selective 42 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, maintain greater continuous abstinence rates (defined as not a single "puff" of a cigarette) than placebo controls during an additional 12 weeks of treatment and until 52 weeks after treatment initiation.

Individualizing Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) -- A February 2005 American Family Physician (AFP) article that compares the efficacy of transdermal nicotine with nicotine nasal spray to identify patient characteristics that might predict treatment outcomes.

Smoking Cessation: Integration of Behavioral and Drug Therapies -- A March 2002 American Family Physician (AFP) article outlining practical approaches that can increase the likelihood of successful smoking cessation.

Use of Nicotine Replacement Therapy in Adolescents -- A February 2004 American Family Physician (AFP) article that examines the prevalence, ease of access, and reasons for using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for adolescent smokers and the inappropriate use of NRT in this age group.

Varenicline, an an alpha4beta2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Partial Agonist, vs Sustained-Release Bupropion and Placebo for Smoking Cessation -- A July 2006 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article on the results of a study to assess efficacy and safety of varenicline for smoking cessation compared with sustained-release bupropion and placebo.

Value of Adding Bupropion to Nicotine Replacement -- A January 2005 American Family Physician (AFP) article that describes results from a randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether the addition of bupropion to nicotine replacement and counseling improves cessation rates.

Information on NRT from:

American Heart Association (AHA) -- Recommendations and advocacy position on NRT.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center -- Brief overviews, typical regimens and potential side effects of NRT.

National Tobacco Cessation Collaborative -- Key Points to Help Dispel the Myths about Nicotine and NRT, a fact sheet with accurate information on nicotine and its role in helping patients quit using tobacco.
(2-page PDF file; About PDFs)

QuitNet -- An online medication guide that provides information on the use, warnings, and possible side effects of NRT, a medication wizard to help patients determine which smoking cessation aid is right for them, and a comparison chart. The guide is available in both English and Spanish.