When used with a trans dermal nicotine patch, nortriptyline, an antidepressant medication, may aid in smoking cessation, according to a study.

Although smoking is a preventable cause of death, current cessation methods are only partially successful.

Several different types of antidepressant medications have been effective in helping people quit smoking, however the study concluded that nortriptyline combined with transdermal nicotine resulted in an increased cessation rate with little effect on withdrawal symptoms.

The researchers believe this combination may represent an option for smokers in whom standard therapy has failed.

A V Prochazka et al., Archives of Internal Medecine Vol.164 (20), November 8, 2004