Farm Comunitarios. 2022 Jul 21;14(3):22-30. doi: 10.33620/FC.2173-9218.(2022/Vol14).003.04

Results of the implementation of a multidisciplinary smoking cessation program combining varenicline and behavioural therapy in a community pharmacy

Bonilla Guijarro A, Cavada García MA1
1. Licenciado en Medicina. Especialista en Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria. Centro de Salud Gandhi (Madrid).
Bonilla A, Cavada MA. Results of the implementation of a multidisciplinary smoking cessation program combining varenicline and behavioural therapy in a community pharmacy. Farm Comunitarios. 2022 Jul 21;14(3):22-30. doi: 10.33620/FC.2173-9218.(2022/Vol14).003.04
Abstract : 

Objective: To evaluate the results of the implementation of a multidisciplinary medical-pharmaceutical program for smoking cessation combining varenicline and behavioural therapy.

Methods: The primary care physician assessed patient’s dependence and motivation for smoking cessation with the Fagerstrom and Richmond tests, respectively. Patients who were candidates to enter the program received the varenicline prescription if needed and entered a behavioural therapy program with three months of follow-up in the community pharmacy. The community pharmacist developed a structured guide in 8 visits and support materials for the patient for the behavioural therapy. The follow-up of the patients was carried out in the community pharmacy and the pharmacist only referred to the primary care physician when severe adverse events occurred. The smoking history of the patients as well as their comorbidities, the drug treatment received and its side effects were collected.

Results: Twenty-six patients were included in the program. The mean score of the Richmond test was 8.31 (SD 1.54). The mean score of the Fagerström test was 5.73 (SD 2.10). The main reason for smoking cessation was health. Patients received varenicline as pharmacological treatment for smoking cessation, 21 (80.8%) patients completed the 12 weeks of treatment. 18 patients of the total sample (69.2%) remained without smoking for 3 months. The most common side effects observed were insomnia and constipation.Behavioural therapy developed by the pharmacist helped to maintain adherence to drug treatment and motivation during the smoking cessation process.

Conclusions: The smoking cessation program based on doctor-pharmacist collaboration, with the combination of pharmacological and behavioural therapy and with the help of a specifically developed guide, has shown to be effective.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editor: © SEFAC. Sociedad Española de Farmacia Clínica, Familiar y Comunitaria. 
Copyright© SEFAC. Sociedad Española de Farmacia Clínica, Familiar y Comunitaria. This article is available from url https://www.farmaceuticoscomunitarios.org/. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.en

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