OUTCOMES OF A NURSE-MANAGED SMOKING CESSATION INTERVENTION IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION.

In order to decrease risk for future cardiac events, it is imperative that cardiac patients stop smoking. To address this need, we developed and implemented a smoking cessation clinic (SCC) at the Cardiac Rehabilitation & Prevention Clinic (CRPC). The SCC offers a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to smoking cessation using stage-based intervention and includes pharmacotherapy when necessary. A nurse with smoking cessation knowledge and expertise provides the intervention. For this evaluation, data was collected a baseline and at time of exit from CRPC (4 months), verification of smoking status was confirmed by self report and/or expired carbon monoxide values. Results are as follows: (Table)TableAfter 4 months, the SCC intervention was effective, comparing favorably with the results of contemporary pharmacotherapy trials involving motivated individuals without cardiac disease. It must be recognized that our patients represent highly nicotine dependent, committed smokers who continued to smoke despite cardiac events and/or cardiovascular revascularization procedures. Continued follow-up of these patients is underway to determine long-term compliance with smoking cessation.