Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program Without Dedicated Mental Health Resources Post-Myocardial Infarction
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Anxiety and depression are common after a myocardial infarction (MI), so psychological and psychiatric mental health (MH) interventions are recommended during Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs (CRP). We aim to evaluate anxiety and depression symptoms and quality of life in MI sufferers followed in a CRP without dedicated MH resources. We prospectively included 164 MI patients in our CRP without dedicated MH resources. Patient Health Questionnaire 2-item (PHQ-2) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item (GAD-2) questionnaires for depression and anxiety screening (altered if ≥3 points) and the 36-Item Short Form Survey Instrument (SF-36) to analyze four MH components and Mental Component Summary (MCS) were assessed at the beginning and after CRP. The mean age was 61.35 ± 10.76 years, and most patients were male (86.6%). A significant improvement in SF-36 mental components (from +5.94 ± 27.98 to +8.31 ± 25 points, p < 0.001) and SF-36-MCS (+1.85 ± 10.23 points, p = 0.02) was noted, as well as a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms in PHQ-2 and GAD-2 (p < 0.001). However, 33 (20.1%) patients showed a positive screening for depression and/or anxiety at the end of the program. These patients were younger (56.6 ± 8.05 vs. 62.55 ± 11.05 years, p = 0.004) and showed significantly worse initial scores of SF-36 mental components, PHQ-2, and GAD-2 (p < 0.001). We conclude that a Phase 2 CRP without dedicated MH resources can achieve significant improvements in MH well-being after MI. However, one-fifth of the population had substantial depression and/or anxiety symptoms at the end of the program. This subset, characterized by worse initial MH scores, may benefit from specific MH interventions during CRP.
DOI: 10.3390/jcdd12030092
Authors: Carlos Bertolín-Boronat, Víctor Marcos-Garcés, Héctor Merenciano-González, María Luz Martínez Mas, Josefa Inés Climent Alberola, Nerea Perez, Laura López-Bueno, María Concepción Esteban Argente, María Valls Reig, Ana Arizón Benito, Alfonso Payá Rubio, César Ríos-Navarro, Elena de Dios, Jose Gavara, Manuel F. Jiménez-Navarro, Francisco Javier Chorro, Juan Sanchis, Vicente Bodi
Institutions: Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, INCLIVA Health Research Institute, Centro de Investigación en Red en Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Centro de Biomateriales e Ingeniería Tisular, Universitat Politècnica de València, Andalusian Centre for Nanomedicine and Biotechnology, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Universitat de València
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
Awards: G1077015544, G1574496018, G170316319, G2566337621, G2807512858, G3569960559, G3818967781, G3837572439, G4068596948, G4438069931, G4517864471, G4518148856, G4605450927, G4768038251, Resolución de la obstrucción microvascular tras un infarto de miocardio: evaluación de las consecuencias estructurales y clínicas y busqueda de nuevas opciones terapéuticas., G5290241586, G6126148813, G6322232497, Obstrucción microvascular tras un infarto de miocardio. Avances hacia una cuantificación automatizada, biomarcadores basados en técnicas ómicas y una estratificación de riesgo a largo plazo personalizada, G817617275, G9000300984, G989731353
OpenAlex ID: W4408151835