Archive for the ‘smoking cessation’ Category
Friday, January 27th, 2012
A new study published in an advanced online edition of Tobacco Control concluded that nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) such as nicotine patches and nicotine gum used to assist with smoking cessation do not seem to be effective long-term even when used in combination with counseling.
In the prospective study researchers followed 787 adult smokers who had recently stopped smoking. Surveyed over three time periods, 2001-2002, 2003-2004, and 2005-2006, subjects were asked whether or not they used nicotine replacement therapy in the form of a patch, gum, inhaler, or spray to help them quit, and if so, how long they had used the product. Subjects were also asked if they had joined a quit-smoking program, or received help from professions such as a physician or counselor.
Results showed that for each time period studied, almost 1/3 of the recent quitters had reported a relapse. There was no difference in the relapse rate of those using NRT for more than 6 weeks with or without professional counseling and no difference in successful quitting using NRT for heavy or light smokers. The researchers xoncluded “This study shows that using NTR is no more effective in helping people stop smoking cigarettes in the long-term than trying to quit on one’s own. “
Tags: long-term, nicotine products, research, smoking cessation, success
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Friday, November 11th, 2011
Research published in the November 2 issue of PLoS ONE concluded varenicline (Chantix) is unsuitable for first line use for smoking cessation because of its poor safety profile. Results showed a -substantially increased risk of reported depression or suicidal behavior compared to other smoking cessation treatments. Ninety-percent of all reported suicides related to smoking-cessation drugs since 1988 implicated Chantix despite the fact that it was only on the market 4 of the 13 years of the study. In addition, it was eight times more likely to result in a reported case of suicidal behavior or depression than nicotine replacement products and was associated with more suicidal behavior than any other smoking-cessation drug on the U.S. market. The researchers analyzed 3,249 case reports of serious injury from the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System between 1998 and September, 2010 for self-injurious behavior or depression related to Chantix, Zyban (bupropion) and nicotine replacement products. For suicidal behavior and depression 90% (2,925 cases) were related to Chantix, 7% (229) related to Zyban, and 3% (95) were related to nicotine replacement products. The researchers also said there are other safety issues with Chantix found by other researchers. They concluded “We agree with the recommendation of the U.S., Veterans Administration (VA) that varenicline should be prescribed only after failure of nicotine replacement , bupropion or a combination.” They further said “We
strongly recommend that the FDA should revise the black box warning to say what the study and the FDA ‘s own data shows–that varenicline has higher risks for suicidal behavior and depression than other smoking-cessation treatments.” .
Tags: Chantix, depression, nicotine replacement products, research, smoking cessation, suicidal behavior, Zyban
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Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
A new study reported in the July 4 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal concluded that “among tobacco users varenicline use was associated with a significant increased risk of serious adverse cardiovascular events greater than 72 percent.” Researchers evaluated 14 double-bind, randomized, controlled studies that included 4,908 subjects using varenicline and 3,308 controls taking a placebo. Most subjects were men under the age of 45. No study followed subjects more than a year, and all except one excluded people with heart disease. In the group, 52 of the 4,908 subjects (1.06%) had an adverse event compared to 27 of 3,308 (0.82%) of the controls. The number of people who died in each group was the same at 7. The authors concluded that clinicians should balance the adverse effect of this smoking cessation medication against known benefits before using it.
Tags: cardiovascular event, research, smoking cessation, varenicline
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Friday, May 20th, 2011
A study published online in European Respiratory Journal concluded that plastic fake nicotine free cigarettes may help some people quit the habit. In Europe these are used in conjunction with drugs, nicotine replacement, and counseling.
One hundred twenty cigarette smokers who were enrolled in a program to quit smoking were divided into two samples. All had smoked at least 20 cigarettes daily for 10 years. All were treated with a nicotine patch, bupropion, and counseling. One of the two groups used the plastic fake cigarette whereas the other group followed the usual routine. All completed a questionnaire to determine their physical and behavioral dependence on cigarettes. After 24 weeks they were asked if they had been sucessful in abstaining from smoking.
Findings showed no significant difference in quit rates but those who were more behaviorally dependent on cigarettes had a threefold higher success rate (66.7%) when using the inhaler than those who did not use it (19.2%). Researchers concluded that success may be increased by using the non nicotine inhaler for smokers who rely on the behavioral pattern of handling a cigarette.
Tags: behavioral aspect, nicotine free inhaler, research, smoking cessation
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Friday, September 10th, 2010
A study reported in the online journal Addiction concluded that stopping smoking cessation interventions too soon may reduce success rates by up to 45%. They believe current treatment theories that consider any smoking after a planned quit date a failure need to be updated to incorporate two types of successful quitters. These are the smokers who quit immediately and remain smoke free throughout the treatment, and those who delay smoking cessation but achiever success by the end of the treatment. The researchers believe that considering a theory in which smokers who do not stop smoking immediately as a failure may discourage both the health care provider and the patient from finishing the program.
In their study using data from two identically designed studies conducted in 2005 they included 2,052 healthy adult smokers who randomly received either a smoking cessation drug or a placebo for 12 weeks of treatment and 40 weeks of follow up. All subjects received brief smoking cessation counseling during clinic visits and investigators were unaware of individual treatment assignments.
The researchers defined successful quitters as those who did not smoke during the last 4 weeks of treatment and two groups were identified as discussed earlier-immediate and delayed quitters. They found quitting patterns were similar whether the subjects were in the drug or placebo group and even though the delayed quitters did not fare as well as the immediate quitters at the end of the 12 week treatment period they accounted for about 1/3 of those who remained continuously abstinent at the end of the 12 month period regardless of treatment group. The authors concluded that smoking cessation interventions should be continued for motivated patients despite lack of success during the first 8 weeks to increase their overall success rates.
Tags: lung cancer, research, smoking cessation
Posted in Cancer, lung cancer, smoking cessation | 3 Comments »
Sunday, April 18th, 2010
Dr Carl O. Helvie, Host, Holistic Health Show interviewed Dr Mark Brown (top left), Dr Phillip Cheras (top right), and Dr Eugene Lipov (bottom left) yesterday. Dr Brown M.D., PhD is Professor and Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and has over 40 years experience caring for patients with neck and back pain. His award winning book is titled “Conquer Back and Neck Pain: Walk it Off.“More information is available on a previous entry on this site and at www.conquerbackandneckpain.com.com
Dr Cheras, PhD, is the Deputy Director of the Australian Center for Complementary Medical Education and Research and has been principle or co-investigator of clinical trials in Complementary Medicine in excess of 5 million dollar. His doctoral research on osteoarthritis received international attention. More information can be found on an earlier blog here. He can be reached through his publicist at: jane@drazninpr.com
Dr Lipov, M.D., a board certified anesthesiologist and pain manager, is Director of Research at Northwest Community Hospital and Medical Director of the Advanced Pain Center. More information was presented on an earlier blog or he can be reached through his publicist at: Lsk1836@comcast.net
The interview from yesterdays show follows.
Tags: back pain, bariactric surgery, causation, chronic pain, complementary medicine, daily walking, disc degeneration, Dr Carl O Helvie, Dr Eugene Lipov, Dr Phillip Cheras, Dr. Mark Brown, drugless therapy, exercise, flex now, herniated disc, joint pain, joint pressure, knee replacement, misconceptions, MRI, neck pain, osteoarthritis, prevention, Prolotherapy, recuded inflammation, reduce cartledge breakdown, research, smoking cessation, spinal disorders, spinal stenosis, TENS, trigger points
Posted in back and neck pain, exercise, natural products, osteoarthritis, Podcast, smoking cessation | No Comments »
Sunday, January 18th, 2009
My first guest interview on Saturday was with Dr Scott McIntosh, who is Director of the Greater Rochester Tobacco Research Project in Rochester, New York. He is also Associate Professor, Division of Social and Behavioral Medicine, Community and Preventive Medicine at the U of Rochester. A sample of the interview follows. If you are interested in the full interview and all further radio interviews with experts in the Holistic Health arena, sign up on the full radio program page for a free email of each program that will be sent to you after it appears on BBS Radio.
Tags: BBS Radio. Dr Scott McIntosh, Dr Carl O Helvie, smoking cessation
Posted in Podcast, smoking cessation | No Comments »
Monday, January 12th, 2009
My first guest on BBS Radio (www.bbsradio.com) Station 3 on Saturday, January 17 at 8 p.m. EST is Dr Scott McIntosh who is Director of the Greater Rochester Tobacco Research Program and Associate Director of the Smoking Research Program and Associate Professor, Division of Social and Behavioral Medicine, Community and Preventive Medicine at the University of Rochester in New York. His research is on self-help interventions for smoking cessation and behavioral change with various populations and he has received numerous research grants and published many articles and book chapters. Last year he received the American Cancer Society’s first “Fight Back” award for his commitment for helping people quit smoking and reduce the cancer incidence. One of his web sites is: http://www.myclearhorizons.com Join us for this important information for those who want to quit smoking or those who work with others who want to quit.
Tags: BBS Radio. Dr Scott McIntosh, Dr Carl O Helvie, research studies, smoking, smoking cessation
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