What is nicotine replacement therapy?
Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation is a treatment to help the patient quit smoking. It is a beneficial therapy for people who smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day.
Why is it performed?
The objective of nicotine replacement therapy is that the patient has a low dose of nicotine, a substance to which the body has become accustomed, but from a source other than tobacco, in order to avoid all its harmful effects.
What does it consist of?
The therapy consists of the progressive substitution of tobacco by other products with low doses of nicotine, thus avoiding the withdrawal syndrome without consuming the toxins contained in tobacco. The main nicotine products used in this therapy are patches, gum, inhalers and lozenges.
Preparation for nicotine replacement therapy
This type of therapy does not require any previous preparation, but it is necessary that the patient is convinced of quitting smoking and predisposed to do his or her part to give up tobacco consumption.
Aftercare after the intervention
After the nicotine replacement sessions, the objective is to reduce nicotine doses until nicotine consumption is completely eliminated. The pulmonologist specialist will monitor the therapy, as well as the progress of the patient’s health.