Stress management training should be an integral component of cardiac rehabilitation

Commentary on: Blumenthal JA, Sherwood A, Smith PJ, et al.. Enhancing cardiac rehabilitation with stress management training: a randomized, clinical efficacy trial. Circulation 2016;133:1341–50. Context There is mounting evidence that psychosocial risk factors, including stress, anxiety, depression and social isolation, impede recovery after acute cardiac events and are associated with increased morbidity and premature death.1 While cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is the standard care for patients after an acute event, and has been shown to improve survival,2 it does not routinely address psychosocial risks or assist patients in self-management of these factors. The present study investigated the impact of including stress management training (SMT) within CR, in terms of stress reduction in the short term and clinical events in the following 3 years. Methods Patients who presented for CR were randomised to either comprehensive CR or CR enhanced by SMT (CR+SMT). The 12-week...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Therapeutics/Prevention Source Type: research