Q. I’m a physician and have long seen studies on using the nicotine patch for multiple disorders, including memory. Since it is a naturally occurring substance, I decided to give it a try.

I started with 3.5 milligrams, half of a 7-milligram patch. Over the last couple of months, I’ve noticed a distinct difference in both my short-term and partial photographic memory — they have both returned to what I had 15 years ago!

ADHD runs in my family, so my short-term memory has always been a little handicapped. Executive function problems make it hard to start an activity. These have both improved significantly. I’ve never taken meds for ADHD, but finding a natural aid has been very exciting.

Some patches contain pure nicotine, making them much better than cigarettes or vaping. I believe most of the patches contain nicotine from plants.

A. Nicotine boosts the cholinergic activity of the brain in part by indirectly mimicking acetylcholine. This neurotransmitter is essential for working memory.

A meta-analysis of clinical trials found that nicotine patches may improve cognitive function in nonsmokers (Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, August 2021). Many patches do indeed utilize nicotine extracted from tobacco leaves.

Q. I appreciated reading your column on Astepro to prevent COVID-19 and possibly influenza infections. I bought this antihistamine nasal spray but I don’t know how best to use it.

Are you supposed to give yourself a spritz any time you know you are going out where there will be lots of other people? That’s what I imagine, but I’d like to know.

A. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the over-the-counter antihistamine nasal spray azelastine (Astepro) only for treating allergy symptoms. That said, a study in JAMA Internal Medicine (Nov. 1, 2025) found that using azelastine three times a day significantly reduced the likelihood of contracting COVID-19.

This was a randomized controlled trial. Azelastine also appeared to reduce the risk of colds caused by rhinoviruses. One downside to using this nasal spray is an aftertaste some people find unpleasant. One reader said the children’s version of Astepro may be less likely to taste bad; the dose is the same.

Q. I had been taking lisinopril for many years to control my blood pressure. Then twice, two months apart, I got a tingling in my lips. It went away after a few minutes. I thought it was the tingling of a fever blister.

A month later, my genitals became swollen. An ultrasound showed no problem. The swelling went down after three days. A month later, it happened again and then went away.

Six months after the first onset, I got full-blown angioedema that affected my lips (fortunately not my tongue or throat). When I drove to the emergency room, the first question was “Do you take lisinopril?” I had no idea that this serious problem could manifest after so many years.

A. Lisinopril is the most popular blood pressure medication in the U.S. It is an ACE inhibitor, and like other ACE inhibitors, it can occasionally cause angioedema. As you discovered, this swelling of the lips, tongue, throat or intestines can be life-threatening. Angioedema may include the genitals (Journal of Emergency Medicine, August 2012).

To learn more about other options for treating high blood pressure, you may wish to read our “eGuide to Blood Pressure Solutions.” This online resource is located under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 300 W. 57th Street, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”