Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2025
Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke
Published on: June 6, 2025
Cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation in patients with cardiovascular diseases: a randomized controlled trial
Matthias Bethge1, Friederike Thome-Soós2, Luka Marko Rašo2
1Institute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany. matthias.bethge@uksh.de.
Background:
Depression, generalized and cardiac anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder negatively affect disease severity, participation, and mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease. Psychological treatments within cardiac rehabilitation may improve the outcomes of these patients. We therefore developed a cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation program for patients with cardiovascular disease and mild or moderate mental illness or stress or exhaustion. In Germany, similar programs are well established in musculoskeletal rehabilitation and cancer rehabilitation. However, no randomized controlled trials have evaluated if such programs achieve better outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease compared with standard cardiac rehabilitation.
Methods:
Our randomized controlled trial compares cognitive-behavioral cardiac rehabilitation with standard cardiac rehabilitation. The cognitive-behavioral program complements standard cardiac rehabilitation with additional psychological and exercise interventions. Both rehabilitation programs last for four weeks. We enroll 410 patients with cardiovascular disease and mild or moderate mental illness or stress or exhaustion aged 18 to 65 years. Half of the individuals are randomly assigned to cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation and the other half to standard cardiac rehabilitation. Our primary outcome is cardiac anxiety 12 months after the end of rehabilitation. Cardiac anxiety is assessed with the German 17-item version of the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes cover outcomes assessed by clinical examinations and medical assessments and a range of patient-reported outcome measures.
Discussion:
This randomized controlled trial is designed to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral rehabilitation at decreasing cardiac anxiety in patients with cardiovascular disease and mild or moderate mental illness or stress or exhaustion.
Trial Registration:
German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00029295, June 21, 2022).
Related Concept Videos
01:28Acute Coronary Syndrome IV: Interprofessional Care
01:27Coronary Artery Disease V: Interprofessional Care
01:29Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:27Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care
01:26Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System