In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we studied 40 cigarette smokers to determine the effects of one week of transdermal
clonidine hydrochloride (
Catapres-TTS No. 2) treatment on the
withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation. Subjects were instructed to maintain their usual cigarette intake during days 1 through 3 and cease smoking for days 4 through 6. All of the
withdrawal symptoms measured (craving, irritability, anxiety,
restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and hunger) significantly increased during the three days of smoking cessation in the placebo group. There was a 4.3-fold increase in craving, a 3.8-fold increase in irritability, a 3.7-fold increase in anxiety, and a 3.3-fold increase in
restlessness in the placebo group compared with the transdermal
clonidine group during the three days of smoking cessation. Impairment of concentration and hunger were not significantly diminished by transdermal
clonidine treatment during smoking cessation. In addition, a trend was present in the transdermal
clonidine group to spontaneously decrease the number of cigarettes smoked per day during the smoking period. Side effects were generally mild. We conclude that transdermal
clonidine treatment ameliorates some of the short-term
withdrawal symptoms, especially craving, associated with smoking cessation.