SMOKING

Teaching: Greek

Exams: Greek

Attendance at lectures and experiential learning techniques is not mandatory.

The lectures include power point presentations and, where necessary, a video is shown.

Learning process support through the electronic educational environment (e-Class) of the Department of Medicine.

The lecture schedule, learning objectives, relevant bibliography, lecture presentation files, as well as all course-related information are posted on the course page in the e-class

Communication via e-mail and the electronic platform e-class.uth.gr.

Assessment Methods: Final oral examination on issues of judgment and analysis of the course content.

The course material aims to acquire basic knowledge about the multidimensional problem of nicotine addiction.

It also refers to the complexity of addiction, which requires a variety of approaches from the biological level to the behavioral level to deal with it. In this sense, the course is the basis on which the student will develop skills aimed at approaching and communicating with smokers, as well as providing organized and effective help to stop smoking.

Finally, the aim of the course is for the students to understand the importance of smoking cessation in the context of practicing the profession of doctor of all specialties.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Understands the chronicity of nicotine dependence and the main steps of smoking cessation guidelines.
• Provides effective counseling intervention to smokers whether or not they are motivated to quit smoking.
• Develop effective communication skills with smokers and use the knowledge gained in real working conditions.
• He takes an empathetic attitude towards the smoker.
• It prepares smokers to quit smoking by discussing the main obstacles to success in quitting and helping to organize a plan to quit smoking.

General Skills

Search, analysis and synthesis of data and information, also using the necessary technologies.

Adaptation to new situations.

Decision making.

Autonomous work.

Teamwork.

Promotion of free, creative and inductive thinking.

Unit 2: Harmful effects of smoking on health.
• Smoking-related mortality.
• Smoking and life expectancy.
• Harmful effects of smoking on adults.
• Harmful effects of smoking on the fetus, newborns and children.

Section 3: Benefits of smoking cessation.
Short and long term benefits:
• Cardiovascular system.
• Respiratory system.
• Other systems of the organization.
• Benefits of quitting smoking during pregnancy.
• Overall survival.
• Quality of life.

Unit 4: Secondhand and Tertiary smoking
4.1. Passive or secondhand smoke.
• Definition of second hand (passive) smoking
• Epidemiological data on passive smoking
• Effects of passive smoking on adults.
• Effects of passive smoking on children.
• Protection from exposure to passive smoking.
4.2. Third-hand smoke.
• Definition of third-hand smoke
• Epidemiological data on third-hand smoke.
• Effects of third-hand smoke.
• Protection from exposure to third-hand smoke.

Unit 5: Newer tobacco and nicotine products.
• Definition, classification and characteristics.
• Electronic nicotine delivery systems, heated cigarette and nicotine pouches.
• Promotion.
• Prevalence.
• Reasons for initiation.
• Health effects from their use.
• Use for smoking cessation.

Unit 6: Neurobiology and physiology of tobacco dependence.
• Nicotine and other additives in tobacco.
• Dependency definition.
• Mechanisms of nicotine addiction.
• Dopaminergic theory of addiction.
• Systems affected by addictive substances.
• Nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Section 7: Stop Smoking
7.1. Guidelines for smoking cessation.
• Necessity to address smoking.
• Effective techniques to stop smoking.
• International guidelines for smoking cessation.
• 5 A's approach strategy.
• 5 R approach strategy.
7.2. Medication for smoking cessation.
• Necessity of pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation.
• Approved pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation.
• Nicotine replacement therapy.
• Treatment with varenicline.
• Treatment with bupropion.
• Future directions.
7.3. Other treatment for smoking cessation.
• Non-pharmacological treatments for smoking cessation.
• Counseling intervention in smoking cessation.
• Brief advice on quitting smoking.
• Group and individual counseling.
• Other non-pharmacological methods such as active telephone counseling, self-help, etc.
• Addressing barriers to nicotine addiction treatment.
7.4. Smoking cessation in special populations.
• Smokers with frequent respiratory diseases.
• Smokers with cardiovascular disease.
• Smokers with psychiatric conditions.
• Hospitalized smokers.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women who smoke.
• Smokers under 20 years of age.
• Smokers of a few cigarettes a day.
7.5. Smoking cessation scenarios with experiential techniques.

Section 8
Relapse of smoking habit – treatment.
• Definitions of relapse and diversion.
• Recurrence rate.
• Risk factors for relapse.
• Understanding relapse.
• Relapse prevention strategies.
• Effectiveness of prevention.
• Relapse management.

Unit 9: Smoker Mobilization Techniques.
• Behavior change theories.
• Motivation interview.
• Presentation of videos with ineffective and effective smoking cessation interviews.
• Practicum in smoker behavior change techniques with experiential techniques.

Unit 10: Organization of a smoking cessation clinic.
• Necessity of identifying smokers in modern, daily clinical practice.
• Medical history.
• Clinical examination.
• Smoking history.
• Paraclinical control when required.
• Determining the degree of dependence and motivation to stop smoking.
• Criteria for a high degree of nicotine dependence.
• Determination of exhaled CO (eCO).
• Indicators of need for increased monitoring.
• Review visits.