Update on smoking cessation techniques.

摘要

'While public attitudes to smoking have changed radically, medical approaches are often outdated and need to be reviewed to resolve tobacco addiction in a strategic and sensitive manner.' Dr Andrew Pipe of the Heart Institute, University of Ottawa, Canada presented this view in a series of lectures to South African clinicians and physicians at the recent SA Heart Congress. Reasons for considering renewed clinical efforts to encourage patients to stop smoking include important motivating factors. 'In the management of patients with post-myocardial infarction, smoking cessation is the most powerful intervention available to the clinician. It reduces mortality by 36%, compared to statin therapy, which reduces mortality by 30% and blood pressure control using beta-blockers and other agents, which reduces mortality by 23%.'