Conclusions We found that psychological intervention  improved psychological symptoms and reduced cardiac mortality for people with CHD .
However , there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the magnitude of these effects and the specific techniques most likely to benefit people with different presentations of CHD
Background Although psychological interventions are recommended for the management of coronary heart disease ( CHD ) , there remains considerable uncertainty regarding their effectiveness .
Effect of relaxation therapy on cardiac events after myocardial infarction: a 5-year follow-up study.
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that breathing and relaxation therapy may influence cardiac events in persons after acute myocardial infa rct ion ( MI ) . The authors studied the effects of breathing and relaxation therapy on rates of cardiac events and cost effectiveness in past MI patients . METHODS Patients ( n = 156 ) were chosen r and omly to receive either exercise training plus relaxation therapy ( relaxation group ; n = 76 ) or exercise training only ( control group ; n = 80 ) . The occurrence of major cardiac events and cardiac rehospitalizations in the two treatment groups was compared . RESULTS At 5-year follow-up , 12 cardiac deaths had occurred , 5 in the relaxation group and 7 in the control group , reinfa rct ion occurred in 10 and 12 patients , and cardiac surgery was performed in 2 and 11 , respectively . In total , 15 ( 20 % ) and 26 ( 33 % ) patients , respectively , experienced at least one cardiac event ( odds ratio [ OR ] for the relaxation group : 0.55 , 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] 0.29 - 1.05 ; adjusted for risk factors OR 0.52 , 95 % CI 0.28 - 0.99 ) . Regarding all cardiac rehospitalizations , in the relaxation group , 30 patients ( 39 % ) had experienced 52 cardiac events , for which the patients were hospitalized for a total of 476 days . In the control group , 38 patients ( 48 % ) had experienced 78 cardiac events ( OR 0.72 ; 95 % CI 0.38 - 1.36 ) , comprising 719 days of hospitalization . The total number of hospitalizations was reduced by 31 % as a result of relaxation instruction . CONCLUSIONS In the long-term , the disease course after myocardial infa rct ion is influenced favorably by giving relaxation therapy in addition to cardiac rehabilitation . The extra costs of the therapy are compensated by a decrease in hospitalization for cardiac problems
Conclusions We found that psychological intervention  improved psychological symptoms and reduced cardiac mortality for people with CHD .
However , there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the magnitude of these effects and the specific techniques most likely to benefit people with different presentations of CHD
Background Although psychological interventions are recommended for the management of coronary heart disease ( CHD ) , there remains considerable uncertainty regarding their effectiveness .