Talking therapies reduce anxiety and depression in working age heart patients

Group therapy relieves psychological distress, improves quality of life and results in fewer readmissions for heart problems, according to a study published in European Heart Journal, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

The study included 147 working age cardiac patients with psychological distress, which was defined as a Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score of 8 or more for anxiety and/or depression. The average age was 54 years and 67% were men. Participants were randomised to five sessions of group CBT plus usual cardiac rehabilitation (CBT group) or cardiac rehabilitation alone (control group).

Cardiac rehabilitation was delivered over 8 weeks, with two 90-minute group sessions per week. The sessions included exercise, medication adjustment, and education on diet, smoking, physical activity, body weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, blood lipids, and psychological issues. Cardiac nurses led the CBT sessions after brief training and were supervised by a psychologist. Five sessions of 2 hours each were held for groups of 3 to 4 patients. In session 1, patients clarified their values, for example family and work, and reported difficulties caused by heart disease, such as poor sleep and exhaustion.

Compared with the control group, the CBT group had greater improvement in quality of life at 6 months, and a 57% lower risk of cardiac readmissions at 12 months.

Reference:

Talking therapies reduce anxiety and depression in working age heart patients; JOURNAL European Heart Journal, DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac792