Die Entwicklung von Praxisempfehlungen für psychologische Interventionen in der Rehabilitation von Patienten mit koronarer Herzkrankheit: Methoden und Ergebnisse

Abstract

Available guidelines and treatment standards are not sufficiently detailed to give practical guidance for psychological interventions in the rehabilitation of patients with coronary heart disease. We therefore aimed at developing evidence- and consensus-based practice guidelines for psychological interventions in the rehabilitation of individual patients with coronary heart disease. The following steps were taken: (1) A systematic search for guidelines and reviews, and a survey of rehabilitation centres concerning present structures and the practice of psychological services, (2) development of a first draft of the practice guidelines in an expert workshop, (3) a survey of all senior psychologists and chief physicians of the rehab centres for their approval, as well as focus groups with rehab patients, and (4) revision of the recommendations and final consensus development in an expert workshop. Significant aspects of the guidelines that go beyond present practice are routine screening for psychological comorbidity, neuropsychological screening for cognitive dysfunction in particular patients, and employment of defined psychologically grounded interventions by the entire rehab team. So far, the practice guidelines have been widely accepted by professionals in the field of rehabilitation.