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Study: Smoking cessation is much harder for women
According to a new scientific study, women quitting smoking are significantly more difficult than men. Although the researchers cannot clearly explain why this is so, the results emphasize the need for gender-specific interventions to quit smoking.
According to a new study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2019 (CCC), women are less likely to quit smoking than men. The affordability of smoking cessation drugs was another obstacle to success, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) said in a statement.
Anxiety and depression could interfere with smoking cessation
"In our study, women had a higher prevalence of anxiety or depression than men (41% vs. 21%), which may have disrupted the smoking cessation process," said study author Dr. Carolina Gonzaga Carvalho from St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto (Canada). “Hormonal or social factors could also play a role. Our observational study cannot answer why these differences occur, but it speaks for the need for gender-specific analysis and treatment. ”
Most common cause of avoidable death
Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. Smoking cessation programs help some people quit smoking, but few studies have assessed its effectiveness in certain populations. The current study examined the predictors of success in quitting or reducing smoking among patients who participated in a smoking cessation program at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.
The analysis included 233 patients who visited the clinic at least twice between 2008 and 2018. The participants received individualized medical advice and, if necessary, the prescription of medication such as nicotine replacement therapy (gums, lozenges, plasters, inhalers, spray), bupropion or varenicline (two drugs for smoking cessation) - depending on the preferences and contraindications of those affected.
The average age of the participants was 56 years and 35 percent were female. They said they had smoked an average of 18 cigarettes a day for 37 years. Two thirds (66 percent) had dyslipidemia (a fat metabolism disorder), 66 percent had high blood pressure, 44 percent had coronary artery disease, and 28 percent had depression or anxiety.
After half a year, a quarter of the participants had stopped smoking
After six months, 58 (25 percent) of the participants had stopped smoking and 68 (29 percent) had reduced the daily number of cigarettes by more than 50 percent. The logistic regression analysis showed that the number of visits to the clinic was the strongest indicator of successful smoking cessation, but that gender also played an important role: Accordingly, the probability of quitting smoking was only half as high for women than for men .
Smoking cessation: the earlier the better
Dr. Gonzaga Carvalho said: “The gender and affordability of medication have been independent predictors of the inability to quit or significantly reduce smoking. Earlier studies have shown that a policy to cover the financial costs of smoking cessation medication improves dropout rates. ”The scientist referred to a publication in the specialist magazine“ BMC Public Health ”. "The number of visits to the clinic was the strongest indicator of successful smoking cessation or reduction," said Dr. Gonzaga Carvalho. "This underlines the importance of these appointments, in which advice is offered and the medication discussed and adjusted as required."
As the ESC writes, previous studies have shown that varenicline use is more successful in smoking cessation than placebo and other medications, and the current study agrees with these results. "Varenicline reduces withdrawal symptoms and may have reduced our patients' cravings for nicotine, which may reduce relapse," said Dr. Gonzaga Carvalho.
She concluded: “Our study emphasizes the need for gender-specific interventions and financial security for drugs used to quit smoking. Our message to the smokers is that smoking cessation can be achieved with the help. Get support and take part in a smoking cessation program that assesses individual needs and develops a smoking cessation plan. The sooner the better."
Lifetime smokers lose ten years of life
Dr. Anique Ducharme, chair of the CCC 2019 Scientific Program Committee, said: “This study provides important insights that are designed to help healthcare professionals discuss smoking cessation with their patients. There is an urgent need for a gender-specific approach to get good results for women as well, potentially combating anxiety or depression, as well as hormonal and social factors that all seem to play a role.
And Dr. Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci, course director of the ESC program at CCC 2019, said: “Smoking is a harmful addiction disorder. A lifelong smoker has a 50 percent chance of dying from smoking and loses an average of ten years of life. A little less than half of all smokers smoke until death. ”According to the expert, the ESC guidelines recommend that smokers be identified and repeated advice given on how to stop smoking.
As the Deutsche Herzstiftung writes on its website, those who want to quit smoking are faced with a wide range of offers today. “Which approach is best always has to be checked individually, since the reactions to cigarette withdrawal are different. A short consultation is therefore optimal, in which these things can be clarified in an uncomplicated manner, ”writes the Heart Foundation. (ad)
Author and source information
This text corresponds to the specifications of the medical literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been checked by medical doctors.
Swell:
- European Society of Cardiology (ESC): Women find it more difficult to quit smoking, (access: 30.10.2019), European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
- BMC Public Health: A pragmatic, randomized, controlled study evaluating the impact of access to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy coverage on the proportion of successful quitters in a Canadian population of smokers motivated to quit (ACCESSATION), (access: October 30, 2019), US National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health
- Circulation: Efficacy and safety of varenicline for smoking cessation in patients with cardiovascular disease: a randomized trial, (accessed: October 30, 2019), US National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health
- Deutsche Herzstiftung: Quit smoking: What help can be expected from medication ?, (accessed: October 30, 2019), Deutsche Herzstiftung
- European Heart Journal: 2016 European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice: The Sixth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and Other Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice (constituted by representatives of 10 societies and by invited experts) Developed with the special contribution of the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation (EACPR), (accessed: October 30, 2019), Oxford Academic
