Treatment Recommendations: Medications—Relative Effectiveness
Meta-analysis (2008): Effectiveness and abstinence rates of medications relative to the nicotine patch (n = 86 studies).
| Medication |
Number of arms |
Estimated odds ratio (95% C. I.) |
| Nicotine Patch (reference group) |
32 |
1.0 |
| Combination therapies |
|
|
| Patch (long-term; > 14 weeks) + NRT (gum or spray) |
3 |
1.9 (1.3, 2.7) |
| Patch + Bupropion SR |
3 |
1.3 (1.0, 1.8)
|
| Patch + Nortriptyline |
2 |
0.9 (0.6, 1.4) |
| Patch + Inhaler |
2 |
1.1 (0.7, 1.9) |
| Second-generation antidepressants & Patch |
3 |
1.0 (0.6, 1.7) |
| Medications not shown to be effective |
|
0.8 (0.6, 1.0) |
| Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) |
3 |
0.5 (0.4, 0.7) |
| Naltrexone |
2 |
0.3 (0.1, 0.6) |
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