Nicotine Nasal Spray
Nicotine Nasal Spray
Available by prescription only
Spry in nose as directed
Nicotine Nasal Spray Fact Sheet
Description/Availability:
- The nasal spray is only available by prescription.
- The nicotine is inhaled into the person’s nose from a pump bottle, and absorbed through the nasal lining into the bloodstream.
- One dose consists of 1 spray in each nostril for a total of 1.0 mg of nicotine.
- Initial dosing should be 12 doses per hour, increasing as needed for symptom relief. Eight to 40 doses per day is the recommended range.
- Generally, you should not use the nasal spray for longer than six months.
- There are approximately 100 doses per bottle. You can use the spray up to five times an hour and up to 40 times a day.
How do I take this medication:
- You should completely stop smoking before using the nasal spray.
- You should administer 1 spray to each nostril. Your head should be tilted back slightly when administering.
- To reduce irritating effects, do not sniff, swallow, or inhale though the nose when administering.
Precautions:
- Pregnant smokers should first be encouraged to quit without stop smoking medicine treatment unless prescribed by a physician. Nicotine replacement should only be used during pregnancy if there is the
likelihood of quitting smoking. The benefits of quitting smoking outweighs the risk of the nicotine
replacement. The same is true for nursing mothers.
- Nicotine replacement therapy should be used with caution among the following cardiovascular patient groups: those in the immediate (within 2 weeks) post heart attack period, those with serious heart arrhythmias, and those with serious or worsening angina.
- Nicotine Nasal Spray should be used with caution in patients with coronary heart disease, vasospastic diseases (vascular spasm), over-active thyroid gland, pheochromocytoma, insulin dependent diabetes, active peptic ulcer
disease, or accelerated hypertension.
Side effects:
- Nasal irritation, which decreases in severity with continued use.
- Runny nose
- Throat irritation
- Coughing
- Watering eyes
- Sneezing