Effect of Cardiac Rehabilitation on the Psychological Changes in Post Myocardial Infarction Patients

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To assess the effect of cardiac rehabilitation on the psychological changes in post myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a acceptable treatment strategy adding to the basic medical plan for the patients with coronary artery disease. Subjects and methods A prospective study that was conducted on 60 myocardial infarction patients and they were subdivided into 2 groups; group 1 included 30 myocardial infarction patients who underwent cardiac rehablitation and group 2: included 30 myocardial infarction patients who didn’t undergo cardiac rehablitation. All the included subjects underwent full history taking, full examination and echocradiography and psychological evaluation tests (state–trait anxiety inventory (STAI), Beck depression inventory (BDI) and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS)), before and after cardiac rehablitation. Results Comparison between the 2 groups regarding cardiac changes on follows up, there was significant difference between 2 groups regarding Left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), Left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD) and ejection fraction (EF) (P-value = 0.0001, 0.0082 & 0.0261). Comparison between the 2 groups regarding psychiatric changes on follows up revealed that there was significant difference as regard STAI, BDI and HADS (P-value = 0.0001, 0.0.0001 & 0.0001). Conclusion Cardiac rehabilitation in post-MI patients could have beneficial effects on cardiac function without adversely affecting LV remodeling or causing serious cardiac complications. Participating in a cardiac rehablitation beneficially contributed to a decrease in depression and anxiety manifestations in post-MI patients. Abbreviations A-state: State-anxiety A-trait, Trait-anxiety; BDI: Beck depression inventory; BP: Blood pressure; CAD: Coronary artery disease; HADS: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; HF: Heart failure; LVEF: Left ventricular ejection fraction; MI: Myocardial infarction; STAI: State–trait anxiety inventory