(i) Degree of dependence on cigarettes
(ii) The motivation to stop smoking
It is very important to assess both these factors to plan a strategy to quit smoking.(1)Motivation is important because if a person is not highly motivated, smoking cessation will not work(1).
The dependence on cigarettes in smokers can be measured by(1):
(i) Qualitative method
(ii) Quantitative method
(iii) Objective method
Qualitative Method(1): The qualitative approach is to find out that is it difficult for a smoker to refrain from smoking in circumstances when he or she would normally smoke and also that whether the person has ever tried to quit in the past and failed.
On the basis of motivation and …show more content…
Tony being a truck driver and boredom makes him smoke more, may indicate that he is smoking for a long time, and he probably smokes a good number of cigarettes every day. These things may suggest his dependence on nicotine as moderate.
Moreover, to help with quitting, it is also important to assess the motivation of the person to quit, and as he knows that his symptoms of COPD are worsening due to smoking, he could be highly motivated to quit.
TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR QUITTING SMOKING
The patients who wish to quit smoking should be managed with the combination of behavioural and pharmacological treatment (4). Behavioral counselling can be provided in various ways like direct patient-clinician encounters, via telephone contact, web-based interventions, text messaging, phone apps and website resources.(5)
Group behaviour therapy is also an effective way to help patients to quit(6) group therapy includes informational presentations about the quitting process, group interactions, exercises on self-monitoring of one 's habit, some form of tapering method development of coping skills, and suggestions for relapse prevention.(5) …show more content…
These products are available as patches, gums, lozenges and oral inhaler.
In randomized trials, individual NRT products were found to superior to placebo and the quitting rate was approximately doubled(7)
Nicotine Patch: It provides the most continuous nicotine delivery of all NRT products(7) and compliance with the patches is higher(7)
The use of patches for a longer duration (more than 8 to 10 weeks) may result in improved smoking cessation rates.(7). A randomized trial (8) conducted on 568 smokers to assess the extended transdermal therapy in comparison with standard duration, concluded that extended therapy of 24 weeks offers better results than standard eight weeks treatment(8).
Nicotine Gum: It is short acting NRT and releases nicotine that is absorbed through oral mucosa (7). 4mg is recommended for heavy smokers(25 or more cigarettes per day), and 2 mg gum is recommended for lighter smokers.one gum is chewed every 1-2 hour
Nicotine lozenges: It is another short-acting form of NRT. 4mg dose is used for those who smoke within 30 minutes of awakening and for all other smokers, 2mg is