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Nicotine withdrawal - Overview

Alternative Names

Withdrawal from nicotine

Definition of Nicotine withdrawal:

Nicotine withdrawal involves irritability, headache, and craving for cigarettes or other sources of nicotine. These symptoms occur when a nicotine-dependent individual suddenly stops smoking or using tobacco, or cuts back on the number of cigarettes or tobacco products used.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Almost all people who try to quit have some form of nicotine withdrawal. Generally, people who smoked the longest or smoked a greater number of cigarettes each day are more likely to have withdrawal symptoms.

People who are regular smokers tend to have particularly strong cravings and worsening of withdrawal symptoms at certain times, places, or situations associated with smoking.

Tobacco health risks

Reviewed last on: 6/19/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Stead LF, Perea FR. Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 (1): CD000146.

Croghan IT, Hurt RD, et al. Randomized comparison of a nicotine inhaler and bupropion for smoking cessation and relapse prevention. Mayo Clin Proc. 2007: 82(2): 186-95.

Hughes JR, Stead LF. Antidepressants for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007: (1): CD000031.

Stead LF, Perea FR. Telephone counselling for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006: 3: CD002850.

Parkes G, Greenhalgh T. Effect on smoking quit rate of telling patients their lung age: the Step2quit randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2008: 336(7644): 598-600.

Jorenby DE, Hays JT, et al. Efficacy of varenicline, an alpha4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, vs placebo or sustained-release bupropion for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial." JAMA. 2006: 296(1): 56-63.

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