Thus, depending on the age that a person starts to smoke, or stops, about 7 to 13 yr of life are lost due to smoking-related diseases. These facts must be simply explained to the addicted smoker. Also, costs are further reduced by fewer instances of burned clothing, furniture, carpets, and automobile upholstery. Tracking airflow over time in a patient who continues smoking or stops smoking is a powerful indicator of prognosis. The precontemplation stage is not recognized by the patient.
Smokers beginning to plan how to quit can benefit from a physician's assistance.
Physicians must teach and encourage maintenance of a smoking-free state and relapse prevention. If patients can stop on the advice of a physician and through behavior modification with the assistance of these practical instructional materials, the expense and adverse effects of drugs may be avoided. Success also has been reported anecdotally with acupuncture and hypnosis in selected patients. Exhaled carbon monoxide testing, available through some hospital respiratory therapy departments, may convince the smoker of the poisonous effects of inhaling cigarette or cigar smoke. This test should be performed on admission because the decay curve for carbon monoxide is rapid.