Copyright © 2000 by the European Society of Cardiology.
Working Group Report
Diagnosis and treatment of nicotine dependence with emphasis on nicotine replacement therapy. A status report
a Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Dundee Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, U.K.
b Clinical Pharmacology Unit of the Medical Service, San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, San Francisco, U.S.A.
c Departments of Medicine, Psychiatry and Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, U.S.A.
d Fagerström Consulting, Berga alle 1, S252 25, Helsingborg, Sweden
e Institute of Social Medicine, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
f Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Muenster, Germany
revised September 13, 1999; accepted September 15, 1999
Abstract
Tobacco use is a global health care problem. Repetitive exposure to nicotine produces neuroadaptation resulting in nicotine dependence. Cigarette smoking is particularly addictive due to the repeated delivery of bolus doses of nicotine to the bloodstream. Although compulsive tobacco use is sustained by nicotine addiction, it is the toxic combustion products in tobacco smoke such as carbon monoxide and oxidant gases that adversely affect the cardiovascular system. Smoking cessation produces significant health benefits and is a very cost-effective intervention. Evidence that nicotine is the addictive component of tobacco provides the rationale for using nicotine replacement therapy to aid cessation. Nicotine replacement therapy doubles successful smoking cessation rates and evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of tobacco addiction recommend routine use of nicotine replacement therapy, particularly in heavily dependent smokers. Success rates of up to 40% can be achieved in specialist clinics. Despite early concerns regarding the safety of nicotine replacement therapy in smokers with heart disease, it is now clear that the health risks of using nicotine replacement therapy to assist such patients to stop, or significantly reduce, smoking far outweigh any treatment-related risks.
Key Words: Tobacco dependence, smoking cessation, nicotine replacement therapy
f1 Correspondence: Ulrich Keil, Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Muenster, Domagkstrasse 3, 48129 Muenster, Germany.
References
- Pyörälä, K, DeBacker, G, Graham, I, Poole-Wilson, P, Wood, D, Prevention of coronary heart disease in clinical practice. Recommendations of the Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology, European Atherosclerosis Society and European Society of Hypertension, Eur Heart J, 1994, 15, 1300, 31, Atherosclerosis, 1994, 110, 121, 61
- Eur Heart J. 1997;18:15691582
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Wood D, De Backer G, Faergeman O, Graham I, Mancia G, Pyörälä K. Prevention of coronary heart disease in clinical practice. Recommendations of the Second Joint Task Force of European and other societies on Coronary Prevention. Eur Heart J. 1998;19:14341503
[Free Full Text] - Peto R, Lopez AD, Boreham J, Thun M, Heath C Jr. Mortality from tobacco in developed countries: indirect estimation from national vital statistics. Lancet. 1992;339:12681278[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Benowitz NL. Pharmacology of nicotine: addiction and therapeutics. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 1996;36:597613[Medline]
- International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems (ICD-10). Geneva: World Health Organization; 1992.
- Murray RP, Bailey WC, Daniels K. Safety of nicotine polacrilex gum used by 3,094 participants in the Lung Health Study. Lung Health Study Research Group. Chest. 1996;109:438445[Medline]
- Mahmarian JJ, Moye LA, Nasser GA. Nicotine patch therapy in smoking cessation reduces the extent of exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1997;30:125130[Abstract]
- Benowitz NL, Gourlay SG. Cardiovascular toxicity of nicotine: Implications for nicotine replacement therapy. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1997;29:14221431[Abstract]
- Balfour DJ, Fagerström KO. Pharmacology of nicotine and its therapeutic use in smoking cessation and neurodegenerative disorders. Pharmacol Ther. 1996;72:5181[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Washington: American Psychiatric Association; 1994.
- Heatherton TF, Kozlowski LT, Frecker RC, Fagerström KO. The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence: a revision of the Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire. Br J Addict. 1991;86:11191127[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Kunze U, Schmeiser-Rieder A, Schoberberger R. European Medical Association Smoking or Health (EMASH) consensus paper. Soz Präventivmed. 1998;43:167172[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Fagerström KO, Schneider NG. Measuring nicotine dependence: a review of the Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire. J Behav Med. 1989;12:159182[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Wilhelmsen L. Coronary heart disease: Epidemiology of smoking and intervention studies of smoking. Am Heart J. 1988;115:242249[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Rivers JT, White HD, Cross DB, Williams BF, Norris RM. Reinfarction after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction followed by conservative management: Incidence and effect of smoking. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1990;16:340348[Abstract]
- Parrott S, Godfrey C, Raw M, West R, McNeill A. Guidance for commissioners on the cost effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions. The case for smoking cessation. Thorax. 1998;53:S4S10
- Tengs TO, Adams ME, Pilskin JS. Five hundred life saving interventions and their cost effectiveness. Risk Anal. 1995;15:369390[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Fiore, MC, Bailey, WC, Cohen, SJ, Smoking cessation, Rockville, MD, US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, 96-0692
- Winniford MD, Jansen DE, Reynolds GA, Apprill P, Black WH, Hillis LD. Cigarette smoking-induced coronary vasoconstriction in atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and prevention by calcium antagonists and nitroglycerin. Am J Cardiol. 1987;59:203207[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Zevin S, Jacob P III, Benowitz NL. Dose-related cardiovascular and endocrine effects of transdermal nicotine. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1998;64:8795[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Burke AP, Farb A, Malcom GT, Liang YH, Smialek J, Virmani R. Coronary risk factors and plaque morphology in men with coronary disease who died suddenly. N Engl J Med. 1997;336:12761282
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Benowitz NL, Fitzgerald GA, Wilson M, Zhang Q. Nicotine effects on eicosanoid formation and hemostatic function: Comparison of transdermal nicotine and cigarette smoking. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1993;22:11591167[Abstract]
- Joseph AM, Norman SM, Ferry LH. The safety of transdermal nicotine as an aid to smoking cessation in patients with cardiac disease. N Engl J Med. 1996;335:17921798
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Clarke PBS. Dopaminergic mechanisms in the locomotor stimulant effects of nicotine. Biochem Pharmacol. 1990;40:14271432[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Corrigall WA, Coen KM. Nicotine maintains robust self-administration in rats on a limited-access schedule. Psychopharmacology. 1989;99:473478[CrossRef][Medline]
- Wise RA, Bozarth MA. A psychomotor stimulant theory of drug addiction. Psychol Rev. 1987;94:469492[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Corrigall WA, Franklin KB, Coen KM, Clarke PB. The mesolimbic dopaminergic system is implicated in the reinforcing effects of nicotine. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1992;107:285289[CrossRef][Medline]
- Benwell MEM, Balfour DJK. The effects of acute and repeated nicotine treatment on nucleus accumbens dopamine and locomotor activity. Br J Pharmacol. 1992;105:849856[ISI][Medline]
- Kalivas PW, Sorg BA, Hooks MS. The pharmacology and neural circuitry of sensitization to physicostimulants. Behav Pharmacol. 1993;4:315334[ISI][Medline]
- Robinson TE, Berridge KC. The neural basis of drug craving: an incentive sensitization theory of addiction. Brain Res Rev. 1993;18:247291[CrossRef][Medline]
- Benwell MEM, Balfour DJK, Lucchi HM. Influence of tetrodotoxin and calcium on changes in extracellular dopamine levels evoked by systemic nicotine. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1993;112:467474[CrossRef][Medline]
- Schneider NG. Nicotine therapy in smoking cessation: pharmacokinetic considerations. Clin Pharmacokinet. 1992;23:169172[ISI][Medline]
- Benowitz NL, Jacob P, Savanapridi C. Determinants of nicotine intake while chewing nicotine polacrilex gum. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1987;41:467473[ISI][Medline]
- Benwell MEM, Balfour DJK, Anderson JM. Evidence that smoking increases the density of nicotine binding sites in human brain. J Neurochem. 1988;50:12431247[ISI][Medline]
- Malin DH, Lake JR, Carter VA. The nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine precipitates nicotine abstinence syndrome in the rat. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1994;115:180184[CrossRef][Medline]
- Hildebrand BE, Nomikos GG, Hertel P, Schilstrom B, Svensson TH. Reduced dopamine output in the nucleus accumbens but not in the medial prefrontal cortex in rats displaying a mecamylamine-precipitated nicotine withdrawal syndrome. Brain Res. 1998;779:214225[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Benwell MEM, Balfour DJK. Effects of nicotine administration and its withdrawal on plasma corticosterone and brain 5-hydroxyindoles. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1979;63:711[CrossRef][Medline]
- Benwell MEM, Balfour DJK. Effects of nicotine administration on the uptake and biosynthesis of 5-HT in rat brain synaptosomes. Eur J Pharmacol. 1982;84:7177[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Benwell MEM, Balfour DJK, Anderson JM. Smoking-associated changes in the serotonergic systems of discrete regions of human brain. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1990;102:6872[CrossRef][Medline]
- Deakin JFW, Graeff FG. 5-HT and mechanisms of defence. J Psychopharmacol. 1991;M5:305315
- Graeff FG, Giumaraes FS, De Andrade TG, Deakin JF. Role of 5-HT in stress, anxiety and depression. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1996;5:305315
- Andrews N, Hogg S, Gonzalez LE, File SE. 5-HT1Areceptors in the median raphe nucleus and dorsal hippocampus may mediate anxiolytic and anxiogenic behaviours respectively. Eur J Pharmacol. 1994;264:259264[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Silagy, C, Mant, D, Fowler, G, Lancaster, T, Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation
- Puska P, Korhonen H, Korhonen T, McAlister A. International Quit & Win '96: a global campaign to promote smoking cessation. Tob Control. 1996;5:342[Medline]
- Blöndal T. Controlled trial of nicotine polacrilex gum with supportive measures. Arch Intern Med. 1989;149:18181821[Abstract]
- Fagerström KO, Schneider NG, Lunell E. Effectiveness of nicotine patch and nicotine gum as individual vs combined treatment for tobacco withdrawal symptoms. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1993;111:271277[CrossRef][Medline]
- Jorenby DE, Leischow SJ, Nides MA. A controlled trial of sustained-release bupropion, a nicotine patch, or both for smoking cessation. N Engl J Med. 1999;340:685691
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Jiménez-Ruiz C, Kunze M, Fagerström KO. Nicotine replacementa new approach to reduce tobacco-related harm. Eur Respir J. 1998;11:473479[Abstract]
- Shiffman S, Gitchell J, Pinney JM, Burton SL, Kemper KE, Lara EA. Public health benefit of over-the-counter nicotine medications. Tob Control. 1997;6:306310[Abstract]
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
R. D. Goodwin, K. Keyes, and N. Simuro Mental Disorders and Nicotine Dependence Among Pregnant Women in the United States Obstet. Gynecol., April 1, 2007; 109(4): 875 - 883. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Prepared by: British Cardiac Society, British Hype JBS 2: Joint British Societies' guidelines on prevention of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice Heart, December 1, 2005; 91(suppl_5): v1 - v52. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N Gray, J E Henningfield, N L Benowitz, G N Connolly, C Dresler, K Fagerstrom, M J Jarvis, and P Boyle Toward a comprehensive long term nicotine policy Tob. Control, June 1, 2005; 14(3): 161 - 165. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. B Jessen, S. Toubro, and A. Astrup Effect of chewing gum containing nicotine and caffeine on energy expenditure and substrate utilization in men Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2003; 77(6): 1442 - 1447. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Lifestyle and risk factor management and use of drug therapies in coronary patients from 15 countries. Principal results from EUROASPIRE II Euro Heart Survey Programme Eur. Heart J., April 1, 2001; 22(7): 554 - 572. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. De Backer and H. Boudrez Why are smoking cessation strategies not implemented more effectively in clinical practice? Eur. Heart J., March 2, 2000; 21(6): 434 - 435. [PDF] |
||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||




