Helping your patients to quit smoking

Helping a patient to quit smoking requires accurate identification of the problem, development of an individualized management plan and careful follow-up of the patient's response to treatment. Tools such as the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence can help the physician learn about the patient's smoking habit and develop an effective treatment plan. Support from physicians, health care providers, family and smoking cessation groups can help patients quit smoking and maintain long-term abstinence. Nicotine replacement therapy, available in a variety of forms, is most effective when it is used as part of a smoking cessation program for the nicotine-dependent patient.