Psychological problems of patients involved in the outpatient cardiovascular rehabilitation program

    Authors

    Keywords

    acute myocardial infarction, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular rehabilitation

    DOI

    https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2018.489

    Full Text

    Introduction: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the most severe cardiovascular incidents. The treatment, recovery and change in life style in a patient can result in fear, distress, insecurity, anxiety and depression. In order to improve the quality of recovery and reduce the risk of cardiovascular incidents, a cardiovascular rehabilitation program (CVR) is conducted, which, in addition to some other secondary prevention components, also includes a complete psychological care. ( 1 - 3 ) The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of anxiety and depression in patients involved in the outpatient CVR program. Patients and Methods: The retrospective study was conducted in the Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation in Zagreb. The details about patients were collected for the period from 10 th September 2015 to 31 st December 2017. The patients with AMI basic diagnosis were divided into three groups: those treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), those treated by coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and those treated by optimal medical therapy (OMT). The structured Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used for screening of anxiety and depression at the beginning and end of the program of quarterly outpatient CVR. ( 2 , 3 ) Results: 437 patients were involved in this trial of whom 367 were treated by applying PCI, 50 patients were treated by applying CABG and 20 patients were treated by applying OMT. The results ( Table 1 ) show that out of the total number of patients at the beginning of the program, 18% of the them have borderline and clinically significant anxiety, and 22% of them have borderline and clinically significant depression. The values of anxiety at the discharge, compared to the anxiety at the beginning of the outpatient CVR program normalized in 10%, while the values of depression normalized in 11% of patients with AMI. Conclusion: Participation in the outpatient CVR program results in a decrease in self-assessed anxiety and depression in patients after AMI. The results of screening by using HADS show a better recovery in a group of patients treated by applying PCI.

    Cardiologia Croatica
    Back to search

    Psychological problems of patients involved in the outpatient cardiovascular rehabilitation program

    Extended Abstract
    Issue11-12
    Published
    Pages489-490
    PDF via DOIhttps://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2018.489
    acute myocardial infarction
    anxiety
    depression
    cardiovascular rehabilitation

    Authors

    Monika Tuzla*ORCIDInstitute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Zagreb, Croatia
    Jasna Čerkez HabekORCIDInstitute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Zagreb, Croatia
    Mario IvanušaORCIDInstitute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Zagreb, Croatia
    Dubravka Kruhek LeontićORCIDInstitute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Zagreb, Croatia
    Nada HrstićORCIDInstitute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Zagreb, Croatia
    Goran KrstačićORCIDInstitute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Zagreb, Croatia

    Full Text

    Introduction: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the most severe cardiovascular incidents. The treatment, recovery and change in life style in a patient can result in fear, distress, insecurity, anxiety and depression. In order to improve the quality of recovery and reduce the risk of cardiovascular incidents, a cardiovascular rehabilitation program (CVR) is conducted, which, in addition to some other secondary prevention components, also includes a complete psychological care. ( 1 - 3 ) The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of anxiety and depression in patients involved in the outpatient CVR program. Patients and Methods: The retrospective study was conducted in the Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation in Zagreb. The details about patients were collected for the period from 10 th September 2015 to 31 st December 2017. The patients with AMI basic diagnosis were divided into three groups: those treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), those treated by coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and those treated by optimal medical therapy (OMT). The structured Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used for screening of anxiety and depression at the beginning and end of the program of quarterly outpatient CVR. ( 2 , 3 ) Results: 437 patients were involved in this trial of whom 367 were treated by applying PCI, 50 patients were treated by applying CABG and 20 patients were treated by applying OMT. The results ( Table 1 ) show that out of the total number of patients at the beginning of the program, 18% of the them have borderline and clinically significant anxiety, and 22% of them have borderline and clinically significant depression. The values of anxiety at the discharge, compared to the anxiety at the beginning of the outpatient CVR program normalized in 10%, while the values of depression normalized in 11% of patients with AMI. Conclusion: Participation in the outpatient CVR program results in a decrease in self-assessed anxiety and depression in patients after AMI. The results of screening by using HADS show a better recovery in a group of patients treated by applying PCI.