Pharmacotherapy for tobacco dependence

Reginald V. Fant, August R. Buchhalter, Albert C. Buchman, Jack E. Henningfield

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

Pharmacotherapy can provide effective treatment of tobacco dependence and withdrawal, and thereby facilitate efforts to achieve and sustain tobacco abstinence. Currently approved medications for smoking cessation are nicotine replacement medications (NRT), including nicotine patch, gum, lozenge, sublin-gual tablet, inhaler and nasal spray, the antidepressant bupropion, and the nicotinic partial agonist varenicline. This review discusses the pharmacological basis for the use of these medications, and the properties that might contribute to their efficacy, safety, and abuse liability. The review also discusses how pharmacological principles can be used to improve existing medications, as well as assist in the development of new medications.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)487-510
Number of pages24
JournalHandbook of Experimental Pharmacology
Volume192
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics(all)
  • Biochemistry

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