Thinking of Quitting Smoking?

A few months ago, we had a patient come to Shanghai United Family Hospital saying that he had been smoking for  many years.He knew it was time to stop. He was very motivated and asked for help as he knew quitting would not be easy.

Tobacco is the leading cause of death in the United States, leading to 443,000 premature deaths annually. Exposure to secondhand smoke is estimated to cause an additional 40,000 deaths each year from heart disease, lung cancer, and other ailments.

In addition to causing lung disease, smoking is a major factor in osteoporosis, hip fracture in women, skin wrinkling, peptic ulcer disease, impotence, and pregnancy complications.

Cigarette smoking doubles the risk of developing coronary heart disease, but smoking cessation can rapidly reduce this risk. One year after stopping smoking, the risk of dying from coronary heart disease is reduced by about one half, and it continues to decline over time.

Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. The earlier you quit, the greater the benefits. People that quit smoking before age 50 reduce their risk of dying over the next 15 years by one half, as compared to those that continue to smoke.

Unfortunately, many smokers mistakenly believe stopping smoking to be a task requiring only willpower. In fact, tobacco dependence is a problem better regarded as a chronic disease requiring long-term management to achieve permanent abstinence.

Treatment includes behavioral counseling and pharmacologic intervention. First-line drug therapy for smokers includes nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, and varenicline. Each of these medications has proven efficacy for smoking cessation.

 Our team  was glad to hear from the patient that came a few months ago. He told us that he had recently stopped smoking.

If you are considering smoking cessation, talk to your primary care provider and set a quit date.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MMWR 2008; 57(45):1226-1228

http://www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-smoking-cessation-management-in-adults

Promoting Smoking Cessation, Larzelere MM, Williams DE, American Family Physician March 15, 2012, vol 85 number 6, 591-598.

More information is available at the following:

• www.lungusa.org — The website for the American Lung Association, sponsor of the American Smoke-out Day, includes an online guide for smoking cessation
• www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/tobacco — The National Cancer Institute website contains information on smoking cessation in English and Spanish, as well as general information on the health effects of tobacco
• www.quitnet.com — An excellent, comprehensive resource for patients
• www.ahrq.gov/consumer/index.html#smoking — A good source for patient pamphlets on smoking cessation