The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The INTER-HEART study evaluate the effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction and showed that smoking is the second most important of them. Show a physician view on approaching of smokers to quit tobacco addiction.

Methods: A multidisciplinary group of physician, psychologist, nutritionist, physiotherapist and nursing was made for implementation of a smoking cessation program, that consisted in 8 sessions, 4 in the first month, during 90 minutes each, including return sessions for prevention of falling backs of the habit. The physician evaluations were individuals. The approaching was cognitive-behaviouring, model based on change of creeds and habits.

Results: We followed six groups of smokers that wanted to quit the habit from 2003/october to 2004/decmber. Median age was 53 years old; 57% were males; median time of smoking was 37 years; 64% had high level of dependence of the habit based in the Fagerstrom test. 49 patients iniciated and finished the program. 50% of them quit smoking. 50% of abstinence. The continuous presence of the physician in the sessions, an individual consultation and the talking-shocking the smokers based in the correlated diseases of the smoking habits were very important in the approaching of smoking cessation. Besides that, the time spending with the groups narrowed the relationship between patients and the professionals. The physician must be vigorous about the orientations to the smoker ho want to quit the habit.