background People with schizophrenia smoke about 5.6 times as much as people without the disease. This factor is a major but treatable cause of morbidity and mortality in this patient population. Nevertheless, health professionals make relatively little effort to discourage people from smoking or to give it up altogether.
aim To increase health professionals’ knowledge about possible therapeutic interventions that can help people with schizophrenia to stop smoking.
method We studied the relevant literature.
results Many people with schizophrenia do in fact want to give up smoking. However, many health professionals are reluctant to intervene because, as a result, people with schizophrenia might experience a deterioration in their mental state. We believe that people with schizophrenia who are determined to give up smoking need to receive a combination of pharmacotherapy and psychological support. This patient population requires a longer than normal period of treatment.
conclusion So far, a combination of bupropion, nicotine patches and psychological support has proved the most effective form of support for this target group consisting of people with schizophrenia.