2012 Volume 38 Issue 1 Pages 25-33
A smoking cessation section for outpatients with the aid of champix® (varenicline) was started in this hospital in March, 2010. Here we present the outline of the support system which was directed by pharmacists mainly, and established in cooperation with many staff members. We also discuss the factors that led to patient success in smoking cessation.
The results showed that the cases of advanced age found it easy to stop smoking. And, about 70% of the patients who achieved to stop smoking hammered it into them that they do stop smoking, in contrast, anyone who had failed in the smoking cessation did it. This result suggests that the patients who failed held unrealistic expectations of the efficacy of the medicine. Thus, such patients must be informed about the necessity of will power. In the failed group, 71.4% lived in the vicinity of smokers, compared to 11.8% in the successful group, suggesting the considerable influence of surrounding smokers in the difficulty to stop smoking.
In conclusion, in our guidance for smoking cessation, a more frequent and active approach is required by younger smokers. And we have to inform them that will power is more important than relying solely on the medicine to work. Because of the probability of surrounding smokers inducing failure in smoking cessation, it is also necessary to request surrounding people such as family or coworkers to cooperate with the applicant. The treatment for smoking cessation is one element in the smoking cessation service, and pharmacists should render many other services to the treatment.
