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A recent head-to-head study of smoking cessation treatments found that combination therapy with a nicotine patch plus lozenges nearly doubles the rate of abstinence at 6 months compared to quitting without the help of aids or quitting “cold turkey.” The study, published in November 2009 in the Archives of General Psychiatry, included more than 1500 adult smokers, who smoked an average of 10 or more cigarettes per day for at least the past 6 months. Participants were divided into seven different treatment groups and a control group, with the treatment groups receiving a variety of combinations of currently-available treatment options, including:
Zyban® (bupropion SR)
Nicotine lozenges
Nicotine patches
Patients also received counseling along with medication therapy. All medications were found to be safe and generally well-tolerated. Researchers believe the additive effect of using lozenges along with the nicotine patches was what made that combination most beneficial, but caution that what therapy works for one person may not be best for everyone. They also cite that counseling sessions played an important role in participant’s success in quitting smoking.
References:
Anderson P. Nicotine Patch Plus Lozenge Best Therapy for Smoking Cessation. Medscape. Published: 11/10/2009. Accessed: 3/23/2010.
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