Smoking Cessation Strategies in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease: An Evidence-based Approach

Abstract

Complete and permanent smoking cessation is by far the most clinically and cost effective intervention in patients with atherosclerosis. Greater awareness of smoking cessation strategies, by clinicians treating vascular patients, is essential for the effective delivery of best medical therapy.

ESC Guidelines on diabetes, pre-diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases developed in collaboration with the EASD – Summary

“…347 Briefly, in all DM patients, clinical screening to detect PAD should be performed annually and lifestyle changes encouraged. 348 All patients with PAD should receive adequate lipid-lowering, antihypertensive and antiplatelet treatment, 186,[349][350][351] with optimal glycaemic control. 72,200,352 8.1.1 Lower extremity artery disease.…”

Peripheral Artery Disease: Current Insight Into the Disease and Its Diagnosis and Management

“…23 Although the details of an effective smoking cessation program are beyond the scope of this article, it is important to convey to the patient that discontinuation of smoking is extremely important to overall well-being, preservation of the limb, and survival. 74,75 Because discontinuation of smoking or use of tobacco in any form is so important, it is the first item to be discussed with the patient during each office visit. In a nonjudgmental way, the clinician should convey to the patient how important discontinuing tobacco use is for cardiovascular health in general and for PAD in particular.…”

Smoking

“…Those who smoke should be counseled about the adverse health effects, including the less commonly known adverse renal effects of smoking. It cannot be stressed enough that physician advice per se is an effective, evidence-based strategy (121). In a second step, those who are motivated to stop smoking should be informed about the possibility of drug support (122), which can double the odds for success (119,123).…”