Combination Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Smoking CessationRationale, Efficacy and Tolerability

Currently available nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) medications provide effective treatment for tobacco dependence, typically doubling success rates compared with placebo. A strategy for further improving the efficacy of NRT is to combine one medication that allows for passive nicotine delivery (e.g. transdermal patch) with another medication that permits ad libitum nicotine delivery (e.g. gum, nasal spray, inhaler). The rationale for combining NRT medications is that smokers may need both a slow delivery system to achieve a constant concentration of nicotine to relieve cravings and tobacco withdrawal symptoms, as well as a faster acting preparation that can be administered on demand for immediate relief of breakthrough cravings and withdrawal symptoms.