Psychotherapy – ABC CARDIOL

IJCS

Editorial

The Complex Relationship Between Emotions and the Heart: Should We Care?

Sarah Fagundes Grobe et al. Lídia Zytynski Moura

Knowing how to live with negative emotions is not easy, and developing mechanisms to overcome them can be even more challenging. The attempt to determine the physical effects of emotions and establish their profound influence on the heart has challenged physicians for centuries. Mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, significantly impact quality of life and increase morbidity and mortality.

At least 30% of patients diagnosed with heart failure (HF) have depressive symptoms, and these numbers have progressively increased since the 1990s. A meta-analysis found that the rates of mortality and cardiovascular events were twice as high in patients with HF and associated depression, and this was often independent of functional class.^, Some behavioral patterns contribute to these results, since patients with depression or anxiety often do not adhere to pharmacological treatment, are less active, have poor eating habits, and use tobacco.^,

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IJCS

Original Article

The Effect of Psychotherapy on Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life of Patients with Heart Failure: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Isaura Rocha et al. Ana Dantas Cavalcanti Lyvia Figueiredo Juliana Pereira … Samara de Oliveira Danilo da Cruz Rodrigo de Freitas Evandro Tinoco Mesquita

Abstract

Background

Patients with heart failure often experience depression, anxiety, and impacts on quality of life. Psychotherapeutic interventions have been used for chronic conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, showing improvement in mental health. However, no studies have assessed the effects of a psychological intervention using psychoanalysis on patients with heart failure.

Objective

To assess the effect of short-term psychotherapy on depressive symptoms, anxiety, and quality of life of patients seen at a specialty clinic.

Method

A randomized clinical trial with scales to assess outcomes before and after psychotherapy, under the perspective of psychoanalysis, with 12 weekly sessions. The Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire were used. The mean initial and final scores for quality of life, anxiety, and depression were compared using Student’s t-test for independent samples when distribution was normal, or Mann-Whitney test when distribution was non-normal. A bivariate p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all analyses.

Results

This study involved 32 patients, 50% were female, mean age was 64.3±11.6, and most participants were New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class I (56.3%). For anxiety (p = 0.196), there was no statistically significant difference between groups. For quality of life and depression, there was a statistical difference (p = 0.009 and 0.035, respectively), with a medium effect (Cohen’s d = 0.593) on quality of life.

Conclusion

Short-term psychotherapy in outpatients with heart failure showed an impact on depression and quality of life but did not improve anxiety. Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0

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ABC

Editorial

Distance Psychotherapy – New Reality

Protásio L. da Luz et al. Mayra L. Gagliani Bellkiss W. Romano

High technology progresses fast in the medical area. The most recent advance is the “big data” study, in which multiple technologies are applied to populations in order to incorporate genetic data, biological markers and imaging, to assess risks and predict the occurrence of clinical phenomena. That is a global, multidisciplinary and multinational view, which supports and helps the implementation of preventive actions.

Psychology practice in Brazil, however, still resists to this modernity. Face-to-face psychotherapy is the only modality of treatment accepted by the Brazilian Federal Council of Psychology. However, distance counseling, via Internet or mobile phone, has been increasingly used in the USA, Europe and Oceania. Epstein et al. have reported the increasing use of “e-therapy”, as well as the exponential growth of related publications. In New Zealand, Gibson et al. have reported the experience of adolescents with mobile phone therapy. Eight aspects were identified by adolescents as advantageous: privacy, autonomy, control, anonymity, easy access, personalization, individualization of language, and connection.

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The Complex Relationship Between Emotions and the Heart: Should We Care?

The Effect of Psychotherapy on Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life of Patients with Heart Failure: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background

Objective

Method

Results

Conclusion

Distance Psychotherapy – New Reality

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Electronic Document Format (Vancouver)

Electronic Document Format (ABNT)

Electronic Document Format (APA)

Electronic Document Format (ISO)

Electronic Document Format (Vancouver)

Electronic Document Format (ABNT)

Electronic Document Format (APA)

Electronic Document Format (ISO)