Anesthesiology
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Editorial Comment
Postoperative opioid sparing to hasten recovery: what are the issues?
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Effect of nicotine replacement therapy on stress and smoking behavior in surgical patients.
Many surgical patients are dependent on nicotine. Smoke-free policies in healthcare facilities mandate abstinence from smoking, which could contribute to psychological stress in the perioperative period. The authors tested the hypothesis that nicotine replacement therapy decreases psychological stress in cigarette smokers scheduled to undergo elective surgery and determined whether nicotine replacement therapy affects postoperative smoking behavior, even when not specifically prescribed to promote abstinence. ⋯ Routine nicotine replacement therapy is not indicated in smokers undergoing surgery for the purposes of managing nicotine withdrawal and stress but can modify some aspects of postoperative smoking behavior.