吸烟的危害与尼古丁替代疗法

吸烟是引起死亡的主要原因之一,全球每年有500余万人死于吸烟。它已成为严重的公共卫生问题。研究显示,烟雾中含有4000余种化合物,其中至少有43种为致癌物。长期吸烟可致多种疾病如癌症、肺气肿、心脏病及脏器损害,并可引起依赖性（成瘾）。依赖性主要由烟草含有的尼古丁所致。经常吸烟者大多对尼古丁成瘾。因此,经常吸烟者停止吸烟可出现尼古丁戒断症状,表现为烦躁、焦虑、头晕、头昏、头痛、失眠及注意力不集中。大多数吸烟者戒烟失败主要与尼古丁成瘾有关。鉴此,推出了尼古丁替代疗法（nicotine replacement therapy,NRT）。NRT是一种不经吸烟而使尼古丁缓慢进入体内的方法。该法不仅能消除或减轻尼古丁戒断症状,并且能避免吸烟的危害。研究结果表明,NRT能明显提高戒烟的成功率,而且其成瘾风险低。NRT常用制剂有咀嚼胶、贴剂、吸入剂、鼻喷剂等。这些制剂均能引起一些不良反应,反应的程度均较轻,但反应类型各制剂有所不同。NRT制剂可安全地用于心血管病患者。NRT不宜用于孕妇、乳母及未成年人。总之,NRT对吸烟者而言是一种安全有效的戒烟方法,NRT制剂在很多国家已作为OTC使用多年,值得推荐。

Hazards of smoking and nicotine replacement therapy

Smoking is one of major causes leading to death and more than five million people die from smoking each year worldwide. It has become a serious public health problem. Studies have been identified that there are more than 4000 compounds in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Among them at least 43 compounds are carcinogens. Regular smoking can cause a number of diseases like cancer, emphysema, heart disease, organ damage as well as dependence （addiction）. The dependence is mainly caused by nicotine containing in tobacco. Most regular smoking are addicted to nicotine. So regular smokers stopping smoking may induce nicotine withdrawal symptoms including irritability, restlessness, dizziness, headache, difficulty sleeping, and inability to concentration. Most smokers who fail to succeed in quitting smoking is mainly related to the nicotine addiction. In view of this fact, a nicotine replacement therapy （NRT） was advanced. NRT is a way of getting nicotine slowly into the body without smoking. This help people not only to stop or reduce the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, but also avoid the hazards from smoking. The results from the various studied have showed that NRT increase the rate of success in quitting smoking, and the risk for dependence to NRT product is small. NRT medicines are available as gums, patches, inhalers, sprays, and so on. All dosage forms of NRT medicines have adverse reactions. The severity of adverse reactions are generally mild, but their types differ across NRTs. The common adverse reactions are dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal discomfort. NRT can safely used for pationts with cardiovascular disease. NRT is not recommended for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and adolescents. In a word, nicotine replacement therapy is safe and effective in helping smokers stop using cigarettes. NRT products have been used in many countries worldwide as OTC. It is worthy of recommendation.