Depression and Anxiety Can Affect Cardiac Rehabilitation

Among a group of 4,800 cardiac rehabilitation patients, researchers observed that those with moderate depression or anxiety were significantly more likely to quit cardiac rehabilitation than patients who experienced mild symptoms of the same disorders or those who didn’t have any symptoms. The findings suggest that clinicians should screen for depression and anxiety at the beginning of rehabilitation to identify patients who need extra help—such as stress management, cognitive-behavioral therapies, meditation, and mindfulness—to keep their recovery on track. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, October 2019