Interní Med. 2011; 13(11): 453-454

How to help patients stop smoking?

MUDr.Eva Králíková, CSc.

Ústav hygieny a epidemiologie 1. LF UK a VFN Praha

Centrum pro závislé na tabáku, III. interní klinika 1. LF UK a VFN Praha

Tobacco dependence is not easy to get rid of, nicotine is more addictive than heroin and psychosocial ties are also strong. Most smokers

start with cigarettes in their childhood and adult regret – seven out of ten adult smokers would prefer not to smoke. Attempting without

any assistance, however, tends to have success (= year of abstinence) reach about 3–5 %, a short intervention of a doctor or nurse about

8–10 %, and intensive treatment including pharmacotherapy 25–35 %. Generally, treatment involves intervention (according to time of

the health care professional) and possibly pharmacotherapy. Intensive treatment is possible in this country in more than 30 centres for

addicted to tobacco. Most smokers, however, never will undergo intensive treatment, while, conversely, during the calendar year the

majority of them visits a doctor. Any clinical contact with a smoker should be an opportunity to the brief intervention, and so with less

success it could have a greater overall impact than intensive treatment.

Keywords: smoking, tobacco dependence, brief intervention, clinical practice

Published: November 1, 2011  Show citation