NRT helps reduce nicotine withdrawal and craving by supplying body with nicotine.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is recognised globally as an effective form of treatment to help smokers quit smoking. Though, in the state, as per the GATS-2 figures number of tobacco users have decreased and age of initiation has risen, still experts are of the view that NRT should be promoted so that more people who intend to quit can get help in their efforts of giving up the unhealthy habit and can subsequently succeed.
“Quitting the habit is made more difficult than the physical addiction to nicotine (the chemical stimulant in tobacco). Nicotine is a highly addictive drug that causes strong physical cravings and withdrawal symptoms like other drugs that stimulate the nervous system. Fortunately, medical treatments are now available that can help you control the withdrawal symptoms and cravings,” Dr Ankit Bansal, of Fortis Escorts Hospital said. “With the treatment, significant improvements in the quality of life, daytime symptoms, and bronchial hyper-reactivity can be witnessed,” he added.
Cigarettes are an effective means of delivering nicotine quickly to the brain stem where it stimulates the release of dopamine via the nicotinic receptors. NRT aims to take away the cravings for cigarettes and mitigate nicotine withdrawal symptoms by providing steady stimulation to the nicotinic receptors and preventing rapid fluctuations in the release of dopamine in the forebrain.
As per experts, NRT helps reduce nicotine withdrawal and craving by supplying body with nicotine. It contains about one-third to one-half the amount of nicotine found in most cigarettes. NRT is a way of getting nicotine into the bloodstream without smoking.
There are nicotine gums, patches, inhalers, tablets, lozenges, and sprays. Doctors claim that many clinical trials show NRT can increase the chances of quitting smoking by 50-70 per cent compared to unassisted quitting.
Health talk show
In a health talk show organised on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, Dr Shubhranhsu Gupta, asthma and respiratory diseases specialist at Narayana Hospital, said that smoking damages lungs and other parts of respiratory system and it is the most important risk factor for developing COPD.
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