Smoking Cessation for Older Adults: It's Not Too Late!
Smoking Cessation for Older Adults: It's Not Too Late!
"But I've been smoking for 45 years."
Gaining Health Benefits
- Blood circulation increases.
- Carbon monoxide levels in the blood decrease.
- Heart rate and blood pressure decrease.
- The risk of having a heart attack decreases.
- Sense of taste and smell improves.
- Lung capacity increases.
- Breathing becomes easier.
- Energy level increases.
- Lungs become cleaner and more functional.
- Colds and other respiratory tract infections become less common.
- Sinus congestion decreases.
- Shortness of breath decreases.
Gaining Even More Benefits
Getting Help
Preparing to Quit
- List all the reasons you want to quit smoking and look at your list often.
- Get help from your doctor, a smoking cessation specialist, or a group cessation program. Discuss using nicotine replacement products (patch, chewing gum, or nasal spray), or medicines, along with a behavior change program.
- One week before you quit, keep a journal of when and where you smoke each cigarette. Record how you are feeling each time (eg, happy, anxious, relaxed, angry, sad, lonely). This will help you be more aware of your smoking patterns.
- Choose a method of quitting, such as gradually cutting back or quitting all at once. Quitting all at once tends to be most effective.
- Set a quit date on your calendar.
Using Helpful Strategies
- On quit day, throw out all your cigarettes and ashtrays.
- Review your smoking journal and identify your smoking patterns. If you regularly smoke in certain places at certain times (in the kitchen after a meal, for example), change your routine (get up from the table after eating). Identify other high-risk situations such as stress, depression, and being around other smokers. Have a plan for every situation.
- Create a list of ways to distract yourself from a cigarette craving. Examples include calling a friend, taking a walk, chewing gum, or taking a warm bath.
- Reward yourself with a treat (not food) for every week you do not smoke. Put the money you save in a jar and watch it grow.
- Have a supportive "buddy" (preferably an ex-smoker) you can call during the rough times.
- To avoid weight gain, eat low-fat meals and snacks with lots of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Drink lots of water. Exercise daily. Consult a nutritionist if weight gain becomes a problem.
- Withdrawal symptoms should go away in a few days. Nicotine replacement products and medicines like bupropion can help. Try to get more rest and relaxation.
Learning How to Handle Stress
RESOURCES
American Lung Association http://www.lungusa.org/
Tobacco Information and Prevention Source US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/index.htm
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Canadian Lung Association http://www.lung.ca/
Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca
References
Bupropion for smoking cessation. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed. Updated June 19, 2012. Accessed August 20, 2012.
Smoking and older adults. American Lung Association website. Available at: http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/about-smoking/facts-figures/smoking-and-older-adults.html. Published February 2010. Accessed August 20, 2012.
Stop smoking. YourLungHealth.org website. Available at: http://www.yourlunghealth.org/stop%5Fsmoking/index.cfm. Accessed August 20, 2012.
Whitson HE, Heflin MT, Burchett BM. Patterns and predictors of smoking cessation in an elderly cohort. J Am Geriatr Soc . 2006;54:466-471.
12/30/2011 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance: Cao Y, Kenfield S, Song Y, et al. Cigarette smoking cessation and total and cause-specific mortality: a 22-year follow-up study among US male physicians. Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(21):1956-1959.
