Does nicotine replacement therapy hurt ICU patients?

A recent study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine has raised questions about the safety of administering nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to smokers in the intensive care unit (ICU). Until now, use of NRT was not thought to be associated with serious adverse events. In fact, the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) recommends smoking cessation treatment for hospitalized patients.