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Published on: April 17, 2021

Biofield therapies in cardiovascular disease management: a brief review

Joel G Anderson1, Ann Gill Taylor

  • 1Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, School of Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.

Holistic Nursing Practice
|June 24, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Complementary therapies like biofield therapies may offer benefits for cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients seeking alternatives to standard treatments. These nursing-developed energy therapies may impact CVD risk factors and improve quality of life.

Area of Science:

  • Integrative medicine and nursing
  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) management
  • Biofield therapies

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading global cause of death and disability despite therapeutic advances.
  • Conventional CVD therapies often have side effects, prompting patients to explore non-pharmacological options.
  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) encompasses diverse modalities used alongside conventional healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of three biofield therapies utilized in nursing: Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, and Healing Touch.
  • To survey the application of these biofield therapies in individuals diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • To examine potential outcomes of biofield therapies on CVD risk factors and health-related quality of life.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on biofield therapies within the CAM domain.
  • Focus on Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, and Healing Touch as nursing-utilized interventions.
  • Analysis of studies investigating the impact of these therapies on CVD patients.

Main Results:

  • Biofield therapies involve directing healing energy to influence the body's energy field for health and well-being.
  • These interventions are explored for their potential to affect CVD risk factors.
  • Outcomes related to health-related quality of life in CVD patients receiving biofield therapies are surveyed.

Conclusions:

  • Biofield therapies represent a component of CAM that nurses may use to complement standard CVD care.
  • Further research is warranted to fully understand the efficacy of biofield therapies for CVD management.
  • These energy-based interventions show potential for improving patient outcomes and quality of life in cardiovascular care.

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