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> Smoking Cessation

Smoking Cessation

Source: Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence- a Quick Reference Guide for Clinicians. US Public Health Service, October 2000

Effective treatments for tobacco use and dependence now exist and every patient should be offered at least minimal treatment on every visit to the clinician.

There is a dose-response relationship between intensity of counseling and effectiveness of treatment.

Higher cessation rates are achieved when using a combination of pharmacotherapy and counseling.

Approach To Smoking Cessation

Ask- Does the patient smoke?

Advise Quitting - in a clear, strong and personalized manner.

Assess Willingness to make a quit attempt.

Willing

Unwilling

Assistance

  • Quit plan
  • Practical-counseling
  • Social support

(intra/extra-treatment such as)

  • Pharmacotherapy
  • Supplementary reading material

Arrange follow-up

Motivational Intervention

  • Relevance- to the specific patient
  • Risks:- acute, long-term and environmental.
  • Rewards: health, quality of life, protecting others, cosmetic, financial
  • Roadblocks: Fear of withdrawal symptoms, failure, weight gain, lack of support, depression. enjoyment
  • Repetition: every patient-visit.
Pharmacotherapy for Smoking Cessation- first line
Pharmacotherapy Precautions/
Contraindic.
Side Effects Dosage Duration
Buproprion SR

(Zyban)

History of seizure

History of eating disorder

Insomnia

Dry mouth

150 mg every morning for 3 days, then 150mg twice daily(begin treatment 1-2 weeks pre-quit) 7-12 weeks
maintenance up to 6 months
Nicotine gum   Mouth soreness

Dyspepsia

1-24 cigs/day- 2 mg gum (up to 24 pcs/day)
24+cigs/day-4 mg gum (up to 24 pcs/day)
Up to 12 weeks
Nicotine inhaler   Local irritation of mouth and throat 6-16 cartridges / day Up to 6 months
Nicotine nasal spray   Nasal irritation 8-40 doses/day 3-6 months
Nicotine patch   Local skin reaction
Insomnia
21mg/24hrs
14mg/24 hrs
7mg/24hrs

15mg/16hrs

4 weeks
then 2 weeks then 2 weeks

8 weeks