Nicotine Transdermal

Nicotine transdermal is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication used to help quit smoking by replacing the nicotine in cigarettes.

• Nicotine transdermal is available under the following different brand names: Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol

Adult dosage

Transdermal patch

• 7mg/day
• 14mg/day
• 21mg/day

Smoking Cessation

Adult dosage

More than 10 cigarettes/day

• 21/14/7-mg regimen: 21-mg patch once daily for 6 weeks, then 14-mg patch once daily for 2 weeks, then 7-mg patch once daily for 2 weeks

Less than 10 cigarettes/day

• 14/7-mg regimen: 14-mg patch once daily for 6 weeks, then 7-mg patch once daily for 2 weeks

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

Common side effects of Nicotine transdermal include:

• headache,
• nausea,
• mouth/tooth/throat pain, 
• cough, 
• runny/stuffy nose, 
• change in taste, 
• heartburn, 
• hiccups, 
• sweating, 
• diarrhea,
• dizziness, 
• anxiety, 
• depression, and
• trouble sleeping

Serious side effects of Nicotine transdermal include:

• severe dizziness,
• mental/mood changes such as irritability, trouble sleeping, vivid dreams,
• numbness/tingling in hands/feet, 
• chest pain, 
• confusion, 
• severe headache,
• fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat, 
• trouble speaking, 
• weakness on one side of the body, and
• allergic reaction: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), trouble breathing.

Rare side effects of Nicotine transdermal include:

• none 

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur as a result of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.

• Nicotine transdermal has no noted severe interactions with any other drugs.
• Nicotine transdermal has no noted serious interactions with any other drugs.
• Nicotine transdermal has no noted moderate interactions with any other drugs.
• Nicotine transdermal has no noted minor interactions with any other drugs. 

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions, concerns.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to drug or excipients

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Nicotine transdermal?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Nicotine transdermal?”

Cautions

• Weigh risk versus benefits in patients with cardiovascular or peripheral vascular disease, including the history of myocardial infarction, serious cardiac arrhythmia, or vasospastic diseases (eg, Prinzmetal angina, Raynaud phenomena)
• Use caution in patients with oropharyngeal inflammation, peptic ulcer disease, or a history of esophagitis
• Use with caution in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes, pheochromocytoma, or hyperthyroidism
• Extensively metabolized in liver; hepatic impairment may decrease the clearance
• Peptic ulcer formation and delayed wound healing associated with nicotine replacement therapies
• Poisoning or fatality may occur in children if the agent is inhaled, ingested, or buccally absorbed
• Use caution in patients with angina, recent myocardial infarction, or hypertension
• Before using consider the following
  • Heart disease, recent heart attack, or irregular heartbeat; nicotine can increase heart rate
  • High blood pressure is not controlled with medication; nicotine can increase blood pressure
  • An allergy to adhesive tape or have skin problems because you are more likely to get rashes
  • Diabetes
  • History of seizures
• Stop use if the following occur
  • Skin redness caused by the patch does not go away after four days, or if skin swells, or get a rash
  • Irregular heartbeat or palpitations
  • Experience symptoms of nicotine overdose such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, weakness, and rapid heartbeat
  • Symptoms of an allergic reaction (such as difficulty breathing or rash)

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Use in LIFE-THREATENING emergencies when no safer drug is available. Positive evidence of human fetal risk.
• tobacco smoke is known to cause low birth weight, spontaneous abortion, increased perinatal mortality, decreased placental perfusion; however, nicotine replacement is believed to be safer during pregnancy than smoking
• Pregnant or breastfeeding patients should seek the advice of healthcare professionals before using OTC drugs
• Lactation
  • Nicotine and metabolite (cotinine) pass into breast milk after maternal smoking; the risk of exposing the infant to 2nd-hand smoke may be more detrimental than that posed by NRT; nicotine may increase infant heart rate.