Voss Hypnotics

HYPNOTHERAPY AS AN AID TO SMOKING CESSATION OF HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS, was presented at Chest 2007, the 73rd annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians by doctors and nurses from the North Shore Medical Center in Salem, Massachusetts.

The authors investigated hypnotherapy as an aid improving quit rates of hospitalized smoking patients after discharge. Their goal was to gather information that might help reduce hospital admissions from smoking-related cardiopulmonary diseases.

Note that the hypnotherapy used, which was more successful than quitting Cold Turkey or using  NRT (nicotine replacement therapy), consisted of only a single session. 

METHODS: All patients admitted with a cardiopulmonary diagnosis who smoked were screened. Subjects contemplating quitting were recruited into 4 groups: Control subjects who preferred to quit "cold turkey" (C), hypnotherapy alone (H), Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and both hypnotherapy and NRT (NRTH). Subjects were allowed to self select their group. All subjects received self-help brochures.

Control subjects received brief counseling, but other groups received intensive counseling, free supply of NRT and/or a free hypnotherapy session within 7 days of discharge. These groups also had follow up telephone calls at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 26 weeks after discharge. 

RESULTS: A total of 67 patients have completed the study representing 16 controls and 14, 19, 18 subjects in each of the H, NRT, and NRTH groups, respectively. Female patients were more likely to select hypnotherapy, while males preferred to quit "cold Turkey".

At 26 weeks after discharge, 4/12 of control subjects (25.0%), 7/14 in H (50.0%), 3/19 in NRT (15.78%) and 9/18 in NRTH (50%.0) groups were nonsmokers. Patients admitted with a cardiac diagnosis were more like to quit at 26 weeks (45.5%) than patients admitted with a pulmonary diagnosis (15.63%).

CONCLUSION: Thus early data suggest that hypnotherapy after hospital discharge can be an effective mode of smoking cessation. It compared favorably with NRT alone. In all groups, modalities seem to be more effective for patients admitted with a cardiac than a pulmonary diagnosis.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Hypnotherapy could be an asset to a smoking cessation program after hospitalization. Patients admitted with respiratory disease who smoke, appear to be less motivated than their cardiac counterparts and may need a more intensive and sustained effort.

Authors:  Faysal M. Hasan, MD, FCCP*, Karen Pischke, RN, Shamila Saiyed, MD, Diane Macys, NP and Nancy McCleary, RN