Smoking cessation: aspects of prevention and therapy. The activity of the Smoking Cessation Center of Parma-Italy

Acta Biomed. 2009 Apr;80(1):42-6.

Abstract

The World Health Organization states that only a reduction in tobacco use would lower the number of deaths from cancer. It is possible to decrease the number of deaths by means of prevention and/or smoking cessation. Smoking cessation therapy includes both psychological support and pharmacological treatment: Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), Bupropion Sustained-Release, and Varenicline. The aim of the Smoking Cessation Center of Parma is to provide instruments, methodologies and individual therapies for achieving abstinence or a decrease in tobacco use. The program of the Smoking Cessation Center consists in eight meetings. During the first meeting the smoker undergoes a medical check up, and smoking history, exhaled single breath CO and dependence of nicotine are recorded and a personal therapy is planned. During each follow-up visit (after 15 days and then at 1,2,3,6,9 and 12-month intervals) the compliance of the patient to the treatment and abstinence symptoms are assessed. Since 2000, we achieved tobacco abstinence in 28% of patients. Combined treatment (Bupropion/NRT) provided a higher percentage of success (39.9%).

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Ambulatory Care Facilities*
  • Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / administration & dosage
  • Benzazepines / administration & dosage
  • Bupropion / administration & dosage
  • Cohort Studies
  • Directive Counseling
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nicotinic Agonists / administration & dosage
  • Patient Compliance
  • Quinoxalines / administration & dosage
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Smoking Cessation / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Varenicline

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
  • Benzazepines
  • Nicotinic Agonists
  • Quinoxalines
  • Bupropion
  • Varenicline