American journal of preventive medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The use of nicotine-replacement therapy by hospitalized smokers.
No-smoking policies are mandatory in U.S. hospitals. Consequently, smokers who are hospitalized must temporarily stop smoking. Nicotine-replacement therapy (NRT) could help hospitalized smokers relieve nicotine withdrawal symptoms, comply with no-smoking policies, and sustain tobacco abstinence after discharge. The extent of NRT use in the hospital setting is unknown. We describe the prevalence and patterns of NRT use in hospitalized smokers. ⋯ NRT was rarely used in this hospital, even among those who could have benefited from it to treat nicotine-withdrawal symptoms. When NRT was used, relief of nicotine withdrawal, rather than assistance with smoking cessation, appeared to be the primary goal. Greater use of NRT could benefit the estimated 6.5 million smokers who are hospitalized annually by reducing nicotine withdrawal, encouraging smoking cessation, and ensuring compliance with hospital no-smoking policies.