High Success Rate in Smoking Cessation Due to Cooperative Team Intervention

Abstract

Objective: The nicotine patch has been approved for tobacco dependence in Japan since June 2006. We evaluated the smoking cessation success rate (SR) of the smoke free program (SFP) in our smoking cessation clinic.
Methods: A total of 100 patients were treated in the SFP from15 June 2006 to 14 October 2007. We evaluated the smoking cessation SR in the total number of patients who completed the program. We also compared BP, BW, vital capacity (VC) and inspiratory volume (IC) measurements and followed up successful patients to see if they were still not smoking 6 and 12 months after completing the program.
Results: The total number of patients treated in the program was 100 (78 males, 22 females), having an average age of 54. The smoking cessation SR for all patients was 52% (males 55%, females 50%). Those who stopped smoking gained 1.8 kg in weight. There was no change in BP but there was tendency for VC and IC to increase. Sixty-eight percent of the patients completed the program and the smoking cessation SR for these patients was 76%. Patients who could not complete the program had a high TDS. Among the patients who stopped smoking, 83% and 74% were still not smoking 6 and 12 months after completing the program, respectively.
Conclusion: cooperative team intervention involving a doctor, nurse, and pharmacist, and close contact with patients are key factors in achieving a high SR for smoking cessation.