Cigarette Smoking Treatment

Self-Care at Home

Home treatment of the various conditions caused by smoking is complex and may involve many different kinds of medicines.

• Treatment of respiratory diseases, for example emphysema, involves taking aerosol sprays by mouth. These medicines are called beta-agonists and are related to epinephrine (Adrenaline, Bronitin, Primatene, Vaponefrin).

• The medications may be taken by metered-dose inhalers (pumps) or through nebulizer (cloud) machines.



• These medications dilate the air passages in the lungs known as bronchi and bronchioles.

• Additional medicines that may help treat emphysema include:

• Corticosteroids, which reduce swelling and airway obstruction

• Leukotriene inhibitors such as zileuton (Zyflo), zafirlukast (Accolate), montelukast (Singulair), which help prevent airway narrowing

• Cromolyn sodium (Crolom, Intal, Nasalcrom), another anti-inflammatory agent

• Theophylline (Hydrophed, Marax, Tedral), which helps widen airways

• Oxygen is available at home for people with severe emphysema.

• For people with heart disease, a variety of medicines are available.

• Aspirin



• Antiplatelet agents



• Beta-blockers



• Calcium channel blockers



• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors



• Cholesterol-lowering agents