Smoking Cessation

Question 1

How do you calculate pack years?

Answer 1

Divide number of cigarettes smoked a day by 20 and multiply by years smoked.
OR
Pack number a day multiplied by years smoked.

Question 2

What are the pack year high risk thresholds for developing disease and developing cancer?

Answer 2

1. Disease - 20 pack years

2. Cancer - 40 pack years

Question 3

What are the medications available for smoking cessation?

Answer 3

1. Nicotine replacement therapy - patches/oral/nasal, reduce urges and withdrawal by substituting nicotine.
2. Oral varenicline - nicotinic receptor partial agonist (CI in pregnancy/breastfeeding)
3. Oral bupropion - NA and DA reuptake inhibitor (CI in pregnancy/breastfeeding/epilepsy)