Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For nicotine, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to nicotine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Nicotine, whether from smoking or from the nasal spray, is not recommended during pregnancy. Studies in animals have shown that nicotine can cause harmful effects in the fetus.

Breast-feeding—Nicotine passes into breast milk and may cause unwanted effects in the baby. It may be necessary for you to stop breast-feeding during treatment.

Children—Small amounts of nicotine can cause poisoning in children.

Older adults—This medicine has been tested in a limited number of patients 60 years of age or older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are using nicotine nasal spray, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• Beta-adrenergic blocking agents (acebutolol [e.g., Sectral], atenolol [e.g., Tenormin], betaxolol [e.g., Kerlone], bisoprolol [e.g., Zebeta], carteolol [e.g., Cartrol], labetalol [e.g., Trandate], metoprolol [e.g., Lopressor], nadolol [e.g., Corgard], oxprenolol [e.g., Trasicor], penbutolol [e.g., Levatol], pindolol [e.g., Visken], propranolol [e.g., Inderal], sotalol [e.g., Betapace], timolol [e.g., Blocadren]) or
• Insulin or
• Theophylline (e.g., Theo-Dur)—Stopping smoking may increase the effects of these medicines; the amount of medicine you need may change

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of nicotine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Allergies or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• High blood pressure or
• Liver disease or
• Nose polyps or
• Overactive thyroid or
• Pheochromocytoma or
• Sinus problems or
• Stomach ulcer or
• Type 1 diabetes (sugar diabetes)—Nicotine may make the condition worse

• Common cold or
• Stuffy nose—Nicotine nasal spray may not work properly