Contact Information: Contacts: Molly McMillen Sr. Manager, External Communications OptumHealth Phone: (763) 797-4559 Email:
GOLDEN VALLEY, MN--(Marketwire - June 2, 2009) - Have you ever tried to quit smoking once
and for all, but failed again and again? Does someone in your home struggle
with the addiction that leads to the #1 cause of death in the U.S.?
Sadly, about 438,000 U.S. deaths are attributable each year to cigarette
smoking, according to the health and wellness information Website
www.myOptumHealth.com. In fact, about 150,000 to 300,000 children between
the ages of 12 and 18 months are affected by secondhand smoke each year, of
which about 300 of these children die from respiratory problems related to
secondhand smoke, including asthma attacks.
"Every time you light up, even if it's just a few cigarettes a day," says
Dr. Janet Bruno, medical director for OptumHealth Consumer Solutions, "you
are not only endangering your own health, but also the health of those
around you -- down to the youngest member of your family."
Given these sobering facts, learning how to quit smoking once and for all
remains a top priority for many smokers -- it's just easier said than done.
An estimated 70 percent of smokers want to quit, but only 1.2 million per
year succeed in quitting smoking for good, according to The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Research has shown, though, that using some
form of nicotine replacement or participating in formal quit smoking
counseling can improve your chances of quitting and avoiding relapse.
"In general, you can double your chance of success to quit smoking with
nicotine replacement therapy and roughly the same is true for behavioral
treatment," says Saul Shiffman, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director
of the Smoking Research Group at the University of Pittsburgh.
Quit smoking programs range from quitting abruptly, chewing nicotine gum,
using the patch, getting medication or getting counseling. No matter which
method you choose on how to quit smoking, it still boils down to "smoker
preference," Shiffman says. The more comfortable you are with the method
you pick, the better the chances you will stick with it and quit smoking
once and for all, he says.
Quit Smoking: Cold turkey vs. taper and fade
Most smokers try to quit smoking by going "cold turkey," traditionally
defined as quitting abruptly, versus the gradual "taper and fade" system,
which some smokers choose so they can ease themselves into quitting.
"The very prospect of giving up cigarettes all at once is so daunting. Some
people need to take one step at a time," Shiffman says.
The danger of gradual reduction methods, Shiffman says, is that you need a
time frame to quit smoking -- a quit date. "If you give yourself an
infinite amount of time, then it will take that long," he says. "If people
can set some goals, they can do it at their own pace. For some people that
may be a week, two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks."
Quit Smoking: Nicotine patch vs. nicotine-free pill
Shiffman says there are now more pharmacologic options than ever before to
help people quit smoking: the nicotine patch, gum, inhaler and nasal spray,
and non-nicotine treatment (bupropion). The medications are meant for
abrupt quitting, he says, although that doesn't preclude smokers from using
them while gradually quitting.
What works best leads back to smoker preference. The CDC found that 48
percent of smokers preferred the nicotine patch; 28 percent used nicotine
gum; and 21 percent used the non-nicotine treatment buproprion, which is
actually an antidepressant marketed for smoking cessation as Zyban®. Less
than three percent used a nicotine inhaler or spray.
Each of the nicotine substitutes treat the difficult withdrawal symptoms
and cravings that 70 percent to 90 percent of smokers say is their only
reason for not giving up cigarettes, according to the American Cancer
Society.
Quit Smoking: Would a smoking cessation program help?
Quit smoking programs are designed to help smokers cope with problems that
arise during quitting and to provide support and encouragement to prevent
relapse. According to the U.S. Agency on Health Care Policy and Research,
counseling programs should consist of four or more sessions, 20 to 30
minutes in length, delivered over at least two weeks but preferably for
eight weeks.
Generally, "the longer the treatment plan, the better the chances of
success," Shiffman says, adding that some smokers find combining nicotine
replacement therapy and counseling is helpful.
Shiffman concludes with the caveat that much depends on a smoker's
preference and the nature of the person's addictive habit. There are a
number of variables that may affect the success of your attempt to quit
smoking, Shiffman notes. "What are your chances to begin with? How hooked
are you? How hard are you trying to quit? Does your spouse smoke? Do you
drink? Are you depressed?" These can all be factors.
"Whatever method you choose, visit www.myOptumHealth.com keyword 'quit
smoking' to learn more about how to set a quit date, quit once and for all
on that day, and stick to it," says Dr. Bruno.
Dr. Janet Bruno is the medical director for OptumHealth Consumer Solutions,
which operates http://www.myOptumHealth.com. Her clinical leadership
includes oversight of disease and case management programs serving more
than five million individuals. Dr. Bruno received her medical degree from
the University of Washington. She initially trained in surgery, and
subsequently completed training and certification in Family Medicine. Dr.
Bruno completed a tour as an Air Force flight surgeon and has held several
positions in varied clinical settings, including serving as medical
director of a three-facility county jail system. Dr. Bruno's personal and
professional interests have led her to several international mission trips
to Kenya, Honduras and Mexico. Prior to medical school, Dr. Bruno served as
a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya. Subsequently, she volunteered in one of
Mother Teresa's leper colonies in India. She later obtained a master's
degree in International Affairs.
myOptumHealth.com is a free consumer health and wellness Website designed
to help consumers searching for health information online. The Website also
has a number of valuable health tools, from a "Symptom Checker" to a "Body
Guide," from a "Find a Doctor" to a free central location for "Personal
Health Records." Much of the myOptumHealth.com site features content
produced by an editorial staff comprised of medical doctors, PhDs,
Registered Dietitians and writers from a variety of well-respected health
publications. These health and wellness experts are available to comment on
current topics such as how to quit smoking, weight loss, nutrition,
diabetes, parenting, women's health, men's health and senior's health.
Phone or in-person interviews can be scheduled upon request.
