Cessation of Smoking Flashcards

1
Q

Identify the main health risks of smoking.

A

• Principal fatal diseases caused by smoking
are cancer, COPD and CVD
• Also causes morbidity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

On average, how many years do cigarette smokers lose ?

A

On average, cigarette smokers lost 7.5 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

To what extent are the effects of cigarettes on health dose related ?

A

The effects of cigarettes are dose related.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Graph the overall risk of death to smokers and non-smokers from age 40.

A

Refer to slide 4 in lecture on “Cessation of Smoking”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Identify the health benefits of smoking cessation.

A
  • Increased longevity
  • Risk of lung cancer stabilised (but no absolute decline because DNA damage, irreversible)
  • Heart disease risk declines towards non-smoker level over 10 years
  • Accelerated decline of lung function reduced + lower respiratory symptoms
  • Improved reproductive health
  • Improved recovery from surgery
  • Risk of bone loss, hip fracture, periodontal disease minimised by cessation
  • Rheumatoid arthritis risk reduced
  • Cataract risk reduced
  • Aortic aneurysm risk reduced
  • Peripheral artery disease risk reduced
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Identify the different effects of quitting on physiology over time:

  • 20 minutes
  • 8 hours
  • 24 hours
  • 48 hours
  • 72 hours
  • 2-12 weeks
  • 3-9 months
  • 5 years
  • 10 years
A

-20 minutes: blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal
-8 hours: blood nicotine and CO halved, oxygen back to normal
-24 hours: CO eliminated; lungs start to clear mucus etc
-48 hours: nicotine eliminated; senses of taste & smell much improved
-72 hours: breathing easier; bronchial tubes begin to relax; energy levels increase
-2-12 weeks: circulation improves
-3-9 months: lung function improved by less than 10%, wheezing decreases
-5 years: Risk of heart attack halved
-10 years: risk of lung cancer halved compared to continued smoking;
risk of heart attack equal to never- smoker’s.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What proportion of cigarette smokers will be killed by cigarette ?
What proportion of quitters avoid premature death ?
What age do you need to stop before to avoid almost all of the excess risk ?

A
  • 1/2
  • For every five smokers that quit before middle age, one avoids premature death
  • Those who stop smoking before 35 years of age avoid almost all of the excess risk
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q
What proportion of those who quit smoking avoid lung cancer at age: 
60 (men and women)
50 (men and women)
40 (men)
30 (men)
A

60: 1 in 17 men, 1 in 24 women
50: 1 in 10 men, 1 in 14 women
40: 1 in 8 men
30: 1 in 7 men

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What other cancers, besides lung cancer, so smokers also risk ?

A

Laryngeal, oral cavity, oesophageal cancers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the effects of smoking cessation on reproductive health?

A
  • Women who stop smoking before pregnancy: no adverse effects on infant
  • Stopping between first prenatal care visit and week 32 prevent deficit in infant birth weight, head circumference, and brain:body ratio, but does NOT completely prevent deficits in crown-heel length or increased ponderal index.
  • Former smokers have the same prevalence of erectile dysfunction (impotence) as non-smokers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Identify some of the postoperative complications due to smoking.

A
  • Fewer wound-related complications, reduced CV complications and secondary surgery
  • Shorter hospital stay
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the Psychological pathways to Quitting?

A

Transtheoretical (Stage) Model of Behaviour Change (Prochaska and DiClemente).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe the transtheoretical model of behavioural change.

A

Pre-Contemplation → Contemplation → Preparation → Action → Maintenance → Relapse → (back to) Pre-Contemplation etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Identify the main characteristics of pre-contemplation and strategy to use in that stage.

A
  • Characteristics: Lack of awareness or lack of intent to change
  • Strategy: Short messages to attract attention, bring up potentially novel and highly relevant facts previously not considered (e.g. your muscles get tired more quickly because they don’t get all the oxygen you need, you NEVER see an athlete smoking)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Identify the main characteristics of contemplation and strategy to use in that stage.

A
  • Characteristics: Increased awareness of negative aspects of smoking. Has intention to quit within 6 months.
  • Strategy: Dispel negative myths about quitting smoking (e.g. it IS possible to stop without weight gain, irritability, problems concentrating), reinforce willpower to quit
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Identify the main characteristics of preparation and strategy to use in that stage.

A
  • Characteristics: Some small behavioral changes to quit smoking have been made; intent to quit within 1 month (can set a quit date)
  • Strategy: Longer messages, offer concrete tips and methods to help quit smoking (e.g. make it a hassle to get cigarettes, make a list of reasons to quit and keep it with you)
17
Q

Identify the main characteristics of action and strategy to use in that stage.

A
  • Characteristics: Individual has implemented plan to stop, still adjusting to the change
  • Strategy: Offer specific relapse prevention advice for nicotine dependance to include advice on the nicotine patch (ONLY for nicotine-dependant smokers-
18
Q

Identify the main characteristics of maintenance and strategy to use in that stage.

A
  • Characteristics: Long-term adjustments as a non-smoker, content with new lifestyle without cigarettes
  • Strategy: Congratulate and advise ongoing vigilance to keep off cigarettes
19
Q

Identify an approach to smoking cessation.

A
4 A’s Approach to Smoking Cessation: 
1) Ask about tobacco use
2) Advise to quit
Assess willingness to make a quit attempt (5th A)
3) Assist in quit attempt
4) Arrange follow-up
20
Q

Describe the first step to smoking cessation. (Ask about tobacco use)

A

Ask about tobacco use (1 minute):

Which of the following statements best describe your cigarette smoking?

  • Never smoked
  • Stop smoking
  • Currently smoking
21
Q

Describe the second step to smoking cessation (Advise to quit).

A

Advise to quit (1 minute):

Clear, strong, personalized advice to quit

  • Clear: My best advice for you is for you to quit smoking.”
  • Strong: “As your clinician, I need you to know that quitting smoking is the most important thing you can do to protect your own health.”
  • Personalised: Impact of smoking on family, and on patient’s well-being
22
Q

Describe the main features of the assessment of the patient’s willingness to make a quit attempt.

A
  • Assess willingness to quit within next 30 days
  • If a patient responds that s/he would like to try to quit within the next 30 days, move on to the Assist step.
  • If the patient does not want to try to quit, use the 5 R’s to try to increase motivation.
23
Q

Describe the third step to smoking cessation (Assist in quit attempt).

A

(3+ minutes)

  • Suggest and encourage the use of problem-solving methods and skills for smoking cessation
  • Provide social support as part of the treatment
  • Arrange social support in the smoker’s environment
  • Provide specific self-help smoking cessation materials
24
Q

Describe the fourth step to smoking cessation (arrange follow up).

A

(1 minute)

  • Follow up to monitor progress and provide support
  • Encourage patient
  • Express willingness to help
  • Ask about concerns or difficulties
  • Invite patient to talk about his/her success
25
Q

What is the next step if your assessment of the patient’s willingness to quit in the next 30 days concluded that the patient does not want to try to quit ?

A

Use the 5Rs to increase motivation:

♦ Relevance (ask patient to identify why quitting might be personally relevant, such as children, need for money)
♦ Risks (ask patient what they have heard about smoking, then reiterate benefits for the patient and his/her children)
♦ Rewards (e.g. get more oxygen after just one day, clothes and hair will smell better, more money, more energy)
♦ Roadblocks
♦ Repetition

26
Q

Identify possible roadblocks on the way to smoking, and possible ways to overcome that (i.e. one of the Rs to increase motivation).

A

1) Negative moods
- Sucking on hard candy
- Engage in physical activity
- Express yourself (write, talk)
- Relax

2) Being around other smokers
- Ask friend/relative to quit with you
- Ask others not to smoke around you/leave room when someone smokes
- Assign non-smoking areas

3) Triggers and cravings
- Cravings will lessen in few weeks
- Anticipiate triggers (coffee breaks, alcohol, social gatherings)
- Change routine (e.g. brush teeth right after eating)

4) Time pressures
- Change lifestyle to reduce stress
- Increase physical activity

27
Q

Which has the better quitting rates, healthy patients or patients with COPD/bronchitis ?

A

Healthy patients are more likely to stop smoking

28
Q

What are the essential communication skills in smoking cessation ?

A

Minimal clinic smoking cessation advice can be powerful motivation to quit, helpful even if <3 minutes (esp when repeated). But ideally 4-5 sessions of 10-15 mins because dose-related response.

-Advocate 4 As (+ 1A i.e. assess) and 5Rs

29
Q

Give an example of possible ‘feedback’ from point of care test for smokers. What is the effect of such a test on quitting rates within 8 weeks ?

A

Salivary nicotine metabolites test (10 mins)

Patients with immediate tests more likely to quit smoking within 8 weeks than controls

30
Q

What are some negative beliefs held by GPs about smoking cessation ?

A
– Discussions too time consuming 
– Ineffective 
– Lacked confidence in cessation advice 
– Discussions unpleasant 
– Lacked confidence in knowledge
– Cessation considered outside professional duty
– Inappropriate
31
Q

How many attempts and years does it take for an average smoker to quit ?

A

3 attempts over 5 years