SMOKING CESSATION WITH A 16 H NICOTINE PATCH - RESULTS IN A GROUP OF HOSPITAL WORKERS

As part of a programme for the implementation of a Smoking Control Pol icy in our hospital, an open study, without randomization, of 65 hospi tal workers, who wanted to give up smoking, was carried out. The chara cteristics of smoking in each subject were recorded. The Fagerstrom Qu estionnaire was used to measure the degree of dependence on nicotine. The treatment consisted of the daily use of 16 h nicotine patches for 12 weeks. During the first 4 weeks, the patches contained 15 mg of nic otine, for the second 4 weeks, 10 mg, and for the last 4 weeks 5 mg (p er patch and day). Five visits were scheduled during the 26 week study period: at the start of the study and after 4, 8, 12 and 26 weeks. Th e abstinence was checked by measuring carbon monoxide in end-expirator y air.The success rate was 31% after 12 weeks, and decreased to 29% af ter 26 weeks. In conclusion, the nicotine patches appeared safe and ef fective in this study.