Quitting Smoking, a Tough Task - Health Channel

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Quitting Smoking, a Tough Task |

A lot of people try to quit smoking several times, but eventually succeed. Michael Hernandez, Critical Care; Pulmonary Medicine Physician at South Miami Hospital, says quitting smoking is really though.

“That’s why I tell adolescents don’t get started, because the earlier that you’re addicted the harder it is to quit because your brain has not yet formed”.

He puts out quitting smoking fails 60% of the cases with the best option they have: a medication called varenicline.

Transcript


What kind of success have you seen I mean a lot of people I know again have quit didn’t happen just once you know they tried once and then they started smoking again it may have taken them six seven times but they did eventually quit so in your own observation in treating your own patients what have you seen is kind of typical or what happens out there it’s tough that’s why I tell children adolescents don’t get started because the earlier that you’re addicted the harder is to quit because your brain has not yet formed I would say I wouldn’t call it a losing battle that’s never a losing battle to encourage smoking cessation but even the best data which is varenicline there’s a 40% success rate so that means you failed 60% of the time okay and sometimes it takes multiple efforts sometimes patients have a spouse at home the spouse smokes they’re motivated to quit it’s very difficult it’s very difficult right it sounds like the body system you know you hear about people go to the gym together or go running together so maybe if for the spouse I mean you can do it with your partner and make it better I don’t know but it definitely is a it’s a big effort there’s no doubt about it or sometimes the you know the spouses are not on the same page the first time that’s happened they’re just not on the same page so sometimes it’s very difficult to get both of them just to stop smoking at the same time so you know it’s a losing battle but it’s something as physicians I feel obligated to do you know I manage patients with pulmonary fibrosis COPD asthma and if they’re actively smoking it’s very difficult to manage that it’s very difficult.

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