ACHIEVING SMOKING CESSATION IN NICOTINE-DEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS - PRACTICAL GUIDELINES

This article provides guidelines on the treatment of nicotine dependen ce and tobacco addiction that are based on the recent US Agency for He alth Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) Smoking Cessation Clinical Pract ice Guideline. Nicotine replacement therapy should be encouraged for m ost patients in the absence of specific contraindications, as it has b een shown to be efficacious in increasing abstinence rates in smoking cessation. Although 4 types of nicotine replacement therapy (transderm al patch, polacrilex chewing gum, spray and inhaler) have been shown t o be effective, the transdermal nicotine patch is associated with fewe r patient compliance problems and/or adverse effects. Clinician-provid ed social support and skills-training/problem-solving techniques are a lso effective components of smoking cessation treatment. Smoking cessa tion interventions of this type that are as brief as 3 minutes are eff ective in producing both short and long term abstinence, although rate s of quitting are higher with more frequent and intensive treatments.