CHEST Guidelines-Don’t-Wait-for-COPD-to-Treat-Tobacco-Use

Don’t-Wait-for-COPD-to-Treat-Tobacco-Use_ch

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The article by Michael C. Fiore, Douglas E. Jorenby, and Timothy B. Baker highlights the importance of addressing tobacco use for patients with and without Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). It references a study by Schauer and colleagues from the CDC, which indicates progress in tobacco cessation efforts, as over 50% of smokers with COPD have been offered assistance to quit during clinic visits. This marks improvement from earlier findings where only about one-third received such guidance. Nonetheless, the article underscores a broader concern that many smokers, including those without COPD, are not adequately supported in quitting, despite serious health risks.<br /><br />With more than 40 million adult smokers still in the US, particularly among vulnerable populations like the poor, less educated, and mentally ill, the article stresses the urgent need to extend evidence-based smoking cessation treatments universally. It discusses the effectiveness of counseling and medications, particularly varenicline and combination nicotine replacement therapy, in increasing quit rates among smokers.<br /><br />Policy shifts like those in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) now mandate insurance coverage for cessation treatments, making them more accessible and removing financial barriers. These changes, along with new guidelines by healthcare systems such as the Joint Commission's performance measures on tobacco use, enhance opportunities to help patients quit smoking.<br /><br />The central message advocates for intervention with every smoker, regardless of their current health status or desire to quit. Stopping smoking can significantly improve health outcomes and prevent diseases like COPD, for which smoking is responsible for 80% of deaths annually in the US. Encouraging cessation is imperative not only for those diagnosed with COPD but for all smokers to prevent severe health issues and premature death.

Keywords

tobacco cessation

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

smoking cessation treatments

vulnerable populations

Affordable Care Act

insurance coverage

healthcare guidelines

varenicline

nicotine replacement therapy

smoking intervention