In order to bring you the best possible user experience, this site uses Javascript. If you are seeing this message, it is likely that the Javascript option in your browser is disabled. For optimal viewing of this site, please ensure that Javascript is enabled for your browser.
Did you know that your browser is out of date? To get the best experience using our website we recommend that you upgrade to a newer version. Learn more.

Beating Heart Problems: how a combined group therapy helps depressed cardiac patients

• Treating depression is a key step in preventing disability and premature death.
• Eight week programme helped patients embrace healthy behaviours and a more positive mood

Risk Factors and Prevention

Paris, France, 28 August:


Researchers from the Heart Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia, have demonstrated the benefits of the 8-week ‘Beating Heart Problems’ group programme in a randomised controlled trial. According to Principal Research Fellow at the Centre, Dr Barbara Murphy, depressed participants appear to have benefited from the contact with their non-depressed peers: “In groups for depressed patients, progress can be slow. With our programme, which involved depressed and non-depressed patients in a group together, we saw that the depressed patients improved dramatically. We believe that the ‘well’ patients were positive role models for the depressed patients, helping them to embrace healthy behaviours and a more positive mood.” 

After a heart attack or coronary bypass surgery, about one in four patients experience symptoms of depression. For some, these symptoms continue on for months and even years. Depressed patients are more likely to experience another acute event in the year after their heart attack, and have an increased likelihood of death in the years to follow. Treating depression is a key step in preventing disability and premature death.

The Beating Heart Problems program uses principles of cognitive behaviour therapy, which helps patients to identify ‘unhelpful thoughts’ and replace them with more helpful ones. “Often it is not the actual events in our lives but the way we think about those events that causes low mood or depression” says Dr Murphy. “The Beating Heart Problems program helps patients to focus on their thoughts about their heart attack or heart condition, and come up with more helpful ways of thinking about it. In the same way, we can practise more helpful ways of thinking about physical activity, healthy eating and quitting smoking”. 

“Another feature of our program is that it is very patient-centred. We don’t tell people which behaviours to change or which thoughts to think. Patients in the group are encouraged to make the lifestyle changes that they want to make, and to work at their own pace.”

The 8-week program covers eight topics including depression, anxiety and anger management, physical activity, healthy eating, and smoking cessation. Depressed patients who attended the 8-week program also significantly increased their physical activity levels, and had substantial improvements in the high-density lipoprotein levels, the ‘good’ cholesterols in the blood. Increased physical activity has long been known to improve symptoms of depression, in both cardiac patients and in the general population. Patients who did not attend the program did not obtain these benefits.

The study, funded by Australian Rotary Health, the Eirene Lucas Foundation and Perpetual Trustees, involved 275 patients from the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Melbourne Private Hospital, both in Victoria, Australia. All patients had been recently hospitalised after heart attack or for coronary bypass surgery.  

“Overall we are very excited about these findings” says Dr Murphy. “Depression is very debilitating for cardiac patients, and makes their recovery process more protracted and difficult. Our program helps to make the recovery process easier. And having non-depressed patients in the group certainly seems to be a strong point of the programme”.

Contributors:
Marian Worcester1,2, Barbara Murphy1,2, Alyna Turner1,2, Rosemary Higgins1, Peter Elliott1,2, Hema Navaratnam1, Michael Le Grande1, Alan Goble1 - (1) Heart Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia (2) University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

References

This press release accompanies both a presentation and an ESC press conference at the ESC Congress 2011.

Cognitive behaviour therapy benefits depressed cardiac patients: results of a randomised controlled trial

The press release has been written by the investigator and edited by the ESC and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Society of Cardiology.

Notes to editor

About the European Society of Cardiology
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) represents more than 68,000 cardiology professionals across Europe and the Mediterranean. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Europe.

About ESC Congress 2011
ESC Congress 2011 will take place from 27 to 31 August at the Parc des Expositions - Paris Nord Villepinte, France. Information on the scientific programme is available here. More information on ESC Congress 2011 is available from the ESC Press Office or contact us at press@escardio.org