Transdermal nicotine replacement and smoking cessation.

Transdermal nicotine systems are a useful adjunct to smoking cessation. The larger-sized nicotine patches provide steady-state replacement of approximately 50 percent of the average serum nicotine level obtained by smoking one to one and one-half packs of cigarettes a day. This level is sufficient to prevent many symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, including physical craving, irritability, anxiety, restlessness, hostility, hunger and difficulty concentrating. In double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, transdermal nicotine systems have been about twice as successful as placebo in helping patients stop smoking.