For patients with seasonal asthma, smoking and vaping cessation is important. Triggers for asthma symptoms include tobacco smoke, allergens, respiratory infections and exposure to some chemicals. Cigarettes and vapes deliver harmful chemicals and irritants to the airways, leading to inflammation. Smoking can worsen respiratory health and trigger symptoms. It's associated with poorer asthma control, reduced lung function, and increased hospitalisations. Vaping also has detrimental effects on lung health, where it may lead to inflammation, reduced lung function and impaired immune responses in the airways, and may increase the risk of asthma.
The recently updated Australian Asthma Handbook by the National Asthma Council advise that a smoking and vaping history should be taken for all patients, including exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and vaping.
Helping patients with asthma to quit may reduce asthma exacerbations. Healthcare professionals can actively support patients with seasonal asthma in cessation efforts by providing a referral to behavioural counselling (e.g. Quitline) and pharmacotherapy if clinically appropriate, to improve respiratory outcomes. Quitting may lead to improvements in respiratory symptoms, and may lead to a reduction in the frequency and severity of seasonal asthma exacerbations.
Encourage your patient to quit using the Ask, Advise, Help (AAH) model to structure a conversation about smoking and vaping that is fast, simple and effective, connecting patients to best practice cessation care.
Quitline supports people to quit. Refer your patients at quitcentre.org.au/referral-form and view Quit Centre resources at quitcentre.org.au/clinical-tools.