Quitting smoking is one of the
biggest changes a person can make to improve their heart health and live longer.
Everyone knows the risks that smoking causes for lung disease and cancer.
However, the heart and vascular risk caused by smoking are more common and just
as deadly. The good news is that studies have showed the risk is reversible by
quitting smoking. An ex-smoker’s risk of
stroke returns to normal 5 years after quitting and his or her increased risk
of heart attack are eliminated by 15 years. We all know that quitting is much
easier said than done. It takes a strong commitment and lots of will power.
There are also medication options that can assist a person trying to quit: Nicotine replacement, Buproban, and
Chantix.
Nicotine replacement is the most
common aid and is available without a prescription in several forms. Patches,
gums and lozenges are the 3 forms you can purchase without a prescription. The
goal of nicotine replacement is to reduce the withdraw symptoms from nicotine
by slowly decreasing your nicotine intake. It is
not recommended that a person continue to smoke while taking these products.
Buproban is a trade name for
buproprion which is also marketed as an antidepressant. The manufacturer lists
an unknown mechanism for why it helps with smoking cessation. However, like
nicotine it increases dopamine by slowing your body’s ability to recycle
dopamine and leaving higher levels of dopamine available to your nerve endings.
This is believed to help reduce cravings since the level of dopamine in your
nerves would not drop as quickly as it a person quit without assistance. It
should be noted that Buproban does carry similar risk to all antidepressant medications.
It should be used with close supervision of a physician and any changes in
mood, depression or suicidal thoughts should be discussed with a doctor
immediately. It is also not recommended
to smoke once buproban is started.
Chantix is the newest smoking cessation aid. It blocks the
nicotine receptor in a person’s body so nicotine cannot attach and cause
dopamine to release. So a smoker no
longer gets the good sensation often experienced with a cigarette. It is also
believed to elicit the release of small amounts of dopamine to help reduce
cravings. A person can continue to smoke for the first 7 days after starting
Chantix. However, the cravings should decrease as the week progresses. New
concerns with Chantix suggest that any change in mood, depression or suicidal
thoughts are serious and should be discussed with a physician immediately.
It is important to remember that all of these products are
aids available to assist you in quitting. They help reduce many of the physical
symptoms of withdraw from nicotine but the psychological battle against the
addiction must be won with determination and will power. It is important to
have a strong reason to quit for yourself; Something that you can use to motivate
yourself when the cravings and temptations are strongest. Develop rituals to
replace your smoking ritual. Smoking is often tied in with breaks or redundant
task and it is important to find other safe and healthy habits to replace
smoking. Walking, talking to friends and meditation are good substitutes in
most cases. In the end, remember there is a huge benefit to quitting smoking: a
longer, healthier life with more money in your pocket.
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