Schizophrenia and Nicotine Use: Report of a Pilot Smoking Cessation Program and Review of Neurobiological and Clinical Issues

Nicotine use is a major public health problem that increases medical morbidity and mortality. Nicotine's action and the pathobiology of schizophrenic disorders have common neurobiological substrates. Tobacco smoking alters medication blood levels and effectiveness, modifies psychiatric symptoms...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Schizophrenia bulletin 1997, Vol.23 (2), p.247-254
Main Authors: Ziedonis, Douglas M., George, Tony P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Antipsychotic Agents - blood
Death and Dying
Drug Therapy
Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced - etiology
Female
Human
Humans
Male
Neurobiology
Nicotine
Pilot Projects
Public Health
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia - complications
Smoking - adverse effects
Smoking Cessation
Smoking Cessation - methods
Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - complications
Tobacco Use Disorder - complications
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Description
Summary:Nicotine use is a major public health problem that increases medical morbidity and mortality. Nicotine's action and the pathobiology of schizophrenic disorders have common neurobiological substrates. Tobacco smoking alters medication blood levels and effectiveness, modifies psychiatric symptoms, and is a clue for other substance abuse. This article presents an evaluation of a smoking cessation program for 24 smokers with schizophrenia. Fifty percent completed the program, 40 percent decreased use by 50 percent, and 13 percent remained abstinent (carbon monoxide verified) for 6 months. Nicotine replacement, motivational enhancement therapy, and relapse prevention behavioral therapy were important components of treatment. Pharmacotherapy strategies of a higher-dose nicotine patch, combining nicotine gum and a patch, and augmentation medication to nicotine replacement should be evaluated in future studies in this population.
ISSN:0586-7614
1745-1701
DOI:10.1093/schbul/23.2.247