A Nicotine Addiction, Annotated Bibliography Example

Bernstein SL, Bijur P, Cooperman N, Jearld S, Arnsten JH, Moadel A, Gallagher EJ. 2011. A randomized trial of a multicomponent cessation strategy for emergency department smokers. Acad Emerg Med. 18(6):575-83.

This study was conducted to determine whether individuals that are admitted to the emergency department would benefit from involvement in a smoking cessation program. In this study, researchers found that many of the individuals admitted to the department smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day and that this was negatively impacting their health and contributing to the severity of some of the symptoms they were experiencing. This demonstrates that nicotine has the potential to make certain health conditions worse. Nicotine patches were used as primary treatment in this experiment. It was hypothesized that providing patients with lower doses of nicotine than they would usually receive would contribute to the reduction of these symptoms. It was found that the use of nicotine patches through the intervention program were not necessary to persuade individuals in the emergency department to reverse their smoking habits.

Schneider NG, Olmstead RE, Franzon MA, Lunell E. 2001. The nicotine inhaler: clinical pharmacokinetics and comparison with other nicotine treatments. Clin Pharmacokinet. 40(9): 661-84.

This study discusses the ability to provide patients with nicotine though an inhaler system as an alternative to the conventional patch or gum method. Through this method, nicotine absorption occurs similarly to the patterns of absorption that occur from smoking. Therefore, this application has practicalities with regards to studies that incorporate the use of nicotine as a treatment. Most typically, nicotine is used to treat smoking addiction. However, this technology shows promise for other types of research studies that aim to determine the impacts of nicotine on the human body as well.

Powledge TM. 2004. Nicotine as Therapy.  PLoS Biol. 2(11): e404.

The author discusses a variety of situations in which nicotine could be used as an effective form of therapy. Specifically, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, depression and anxiety, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder     (ADHD), and even pain and obesity symptoms can be alleviated using this chemical, according to this review of the literature. The author explains that despite the stigma       against nicotine use, it is a natural product derived from the tobacco plant that would be readily available for treatment of these diseases and disorders. Nicotine receptors have different prevalences in individuals with different disease states. Therefore,  taking advantage of this characteristic overexpression has many potential implications for treatment. Since nicotine would allow for cost-effective treatment of a series of disorders, it is plausible for researchers and physicians to more seriously consider its use in medicine.

Waiser MJ, Humphries D, Tumber V, Holm J. 2011. Effluent-dominated streams. Part 2: Presence and possible effects of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in Wascana Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada. Environ Toxicol Chem. 30(2): 508-19.

This study indicates that many people may be exposed to pharmacological toxins in spite of their habits and individual health maintenance. There are somewhat levels of nicotine detected in the environment in Wascana Creek, Saskatchewan,             Canada, and this particular observation is likely a widespread phenomenon Therefore, it is important to consider the impacts, positive or negative, that this chemical may be having on the human body. A majority of people do not recognize       that they are being subject to this exposure, so this relationship has been underreported. It is important to gain a comprehensive understanding of how this particular drug interacts with the human body.