Effective Smoking-Cessation Strategies in Primary Care Setting / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Smoking leads to nicotine addiction and serious health problems and smoking cessation can reduce the risk of developing smoking-related diseases and premature death. Smoking is a chronic disease that requires repeated interventions, including counseling and pharmacotherapy. These are both effective for smoking cessation, but combined intervention is more effective than using either alone. Several first-line medications are effective and recommended for use, such as nicotine-replacement therapy (patch, gum, inhaler, lozenge, and nasal spray), bupropion SR, and varenicline. Special populations such as adolescent smokers, pregnant women, and smokers with mental illness can be treated with both counselling and medication. Physicians should recommend effective counselling and pharmacotherapy strategies to all smokers at every clinic visit. Insurance coverage for counselling and medications for quitting smoking are essential to reduce the smoking rate, especially in a primary care setting.