Engaging patients in managing their cardiovascular health.
Psychological factors play a major part in the impact, course, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Patients' cognitions and emotions feed into their responses to their illness and its treatments and can, for example, affect the likelihood of attendance at cardiac rehabilitation programmes. It is important to view the rehabilitation process from the perspective of the patient and to examine and assess patients' beliefs. Self management and self efficacy need to be encouraged. Depression and anxiety are common after myocardial infarction and can influence outcome. A patient's mood state should be assessed routinely and regularly.
Newman
S
S
Centre for Behavioural and Social Sciences in Medicine, University College London, Wolfson Building, 48 Riding House Street, London W1N 8AA, UK. s.newman@ucl.ac.uk
D000339:Affect; D001294:Attitude to Health; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy