The nicotine patch is a type of nicotine replacement therapy. Applied to the skin, it releases nicotine into the bloodstream over an extended period of time, usually 16-24 hours. It is intended for use over an eight-week period. During that time, the smoker should gradually adjust to decreasing doses of nicotine, finally overcoming cravings and forgoing use of the patch altogether. There are pros and cons involved with using the nicotine patch for extended periods.
Metabolism
Nicotine patches work better over a longer time period in people who metabolize nicotine slowly. In a recent study by the University of Pennsylvania, slow metabolizers who used the patch over six months were over twice as likely to quit as those who used it over eight weeks.
Chemical Differences
Though the patch delivers a pure dose of nicotine instead of the many other harmful chemicals in cigarettes, it is still possible to become addicted to the nicotine in the patch. Nicotine addiction is not well understood, but it is linked with diabetes and mouth cancer, and may also negatively alter cholesterol levels.
Relapse
A 2010 study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that smokers who used the nicotine patch for 24 weeks, instead of eight, were far more likely to give up cigarettes for good than to relapse. It also found that long-term use of the patch could help smokers who relapsed get "back on the wagon" and finally forgo the habit successfully.
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