Expert articles
-
Implementing guidelinesNever give up encouraging patients to give up smoking
Louise Ross discusses key recommendations in a new NICE guideline on tobacco dependency, which offers some positive new approaches to smoking cessation
-
Implementing guidelines
E-cigarettes can be a useful tool for helping smokers to quit
Louise Ross summarises the latest recommendations from NICE on stop smoking interventions and services and highlights the relevant points for primary care
-
Implementing guidelines
Estimating cardiovascular risk is key to preventing disease
Dr Alan Begg summarises new SIGN guidance and explains why lifestyle change is an essential aspect of cardiovascular risk reduction
-
Differential diagnoses
Breathlessness: what's the diagnosis?
Dr Chris Cooper reflects on a variety of possible causes of breathlessness: asthma, atrial fibrillation, COPD, or something else?
-
Top tips
Top tips: helping smokers to quit
Jane Wright shares 10 key points on how to support patients in their efforts to quit smoking
-
Hot topic
From smoking to vaping to quitting: a nurses’ guide
Louise Ross describes how practice nurses can capture the potential of electronic cigarettes to help their patients stop smoking
-
Hot topic
Could electronic cigarettes help to end the smoking epidemic?
Louise Ross shares the positive impact national guidance on electronic cigarettes has had on her local stop smoking service and encourages smokers and practitioners to read it
-
Implementing guidelines
Landmark smoking guidance will help to reduce tobacco harm
Harm-reduction strategies can help people who are unable or unwilling to stop smoking completely and will support existing stop smoking services, says Dr Tonya Gillis
-
Hot topic
Very brief advice can be effective in encouraging smokers to quit
Jane Wright explains how healthcare professionals should use every opportunity to give advice to smokers and enable access to NHS stop smoking services
-
Implementing guidelines
Very brief advice can be used for smokers who want to quit
Delivery of effective smoking cessation interventions to smokers requires healthcare professionals to have appropriate training and skills, says Jennifer Percival
-
Implementing guidelines
Stop smoking services are an integral part of smoking cessation
Dr Tim Coleman reviews guidance recommendations for primary care on strategies to support smokers to quit, and provision of NHS stop smoking services
-
Implementing guidelines
NHS stop smoking services can help to improve quit rates
Professor Linda Bauld explains how NHS stop smoking services should be monitoring 4-week quit rates in addition to providing medication and behavioural support
-
Implementing guidelines
Use a systematic approach to support smokers in quitting
Dr Tim Coleman explains how GPs can use a number of strategies to determine which patients are the most likely to benefit from interventions on smoking cessation
-
Implementing guidelines
NICE reinforces its guidance on helping smokers to quit
Jennifer Percival highlights the importance of brief interventions in assisting smoking cessation and the vital role of the primary healthcare team in implementation
-
Good practice initiative
Young people who give up smoking reduce their CVD risk
Runners up in the Guidelines in Practice Cardiovascular Disease Award, Dr Lee Casey’s team encouraged smoking cessation in young people to reduce cardiovascular effects
-
Implementing guidelines
Brief and intensive interventions do help patients to quit smoking
Dr Matt Kearney discusses how GPs can implement the NICE smoking cessation guidance to increase referral rates of smokers to specialist clinics and improve quit rates
-
Implementing guidelines
Primary care smoking cessation services improve quit rates
Joanna Robinson and her team at Walsall tPCT show that locally enhanced services based on national smoking cessation guidance can benefit people who are trying to give up smoking
-
Implementing guidelines
Guidance confirms brief interventions by GPs help smokers to give up
Investing a small amount of time in helping smokers to quit can produce significant benefits for patients and the practice, as Dr Kevin Lewis explains
-
Implementing guidelines
NICE guidance will help GPs encourage smokers to quit
Dr Peter Saul welcomes the new NICE guidance on brief interventions and referral for smoking cessation
-
Good practice initiative
Primary care initiative succeeds in helping smokers to quit
A smoking cessation programme is providing much-needed local support for smokers who want to stop. Dr Kevin Lewis reports on its success
