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Evidence summaries

Psychosocial Interventions for Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

The addition of psychosocial treatments to standard cardiac rehabilitation reduces mortality and morbidity, psychological distress and some biological risk factors. Level of evidence: "A"

A systematic review 1 including 23 RCTs with a total of 3,180 subjects was abstracted in DARE. Patients receiving psychosocial interventions (stress management training) showed greater reduction in psychological distress (effect size -0.34), systolic blood pressure (-0.24), heart rate (-0.38), and cholesterol (-0.54). The mortality during the first two years was greater (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.64) in patients not receiving psychosocial interventions (a 41% reduction), and the occurrence of cardiac events was also greater (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.99) in those not receiving interventions (a 46% reduction).

    References

    • Linden W, Stossel C, Maurice J. Psychosocial interventions for patients with coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med 1996 Apr 8;156(7):745-52. [PubMed][DARE]

Primary/Secondary Keywords