Stress Management Improves Outcome in Women with Heart Disease

Psychosocial stress tends to increase risk and worsen prognosis of heart disease in women. A recent Swedish study, noted below, implemented a stress reduction program to help improve survival in female coronary patients.

The study subjects included two hundred thirty-seven female patients, aged 75 years or younger. These women had been hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, or percutaneous coronary intervention.

Initiated 4 months after hospitalization, intervention groups of 4 to 8 women met for a total of 20 sessions over a year. One group participated in a psychosocial intervention program. The other group received usual care. The psychosocial intervention group was provided information about risk factors, relaxation training techniques, methods for self-monitoring and cognitive restructuring. Coping with stress exposure from family and work, self-care and compliance with clinical advice was also emphasized.

Throughout the 7.1 years of the study 25 women (20%) in the usual care and 8 women (7%) in the stress reduction group died. These results indicate an almost 3-fold protective effect for the intervention group.

Group based stress reduction improves survival and likely enhances quality of life in female coronary patients. Something to consider when caring for a loved one.

Source:
Stress Reduction Prolongs Life in Women With Coronary Disease
The Stockholm Women’s Intervention Trial for Coronary Heart Disease (SWITCHD)
Kristina Orth-Gomér, MD, PhD
Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. 2009;2:25-32