title: Changes in psychosocial distress in outpatients with heart failure with implantable cardioverter defibrillators.
abstract: Patients given implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) after arrhythmic events or sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) experience psychosocial distress. ICDs now are inserted for the primary prevention of SCA in patients with heart failure; the psychosocial impact of ICDs on patients with heart failure is unknown. Changes in psychosocial status in these ICD recipients were examined. ICD recipients (n = 57) completed depression, anxiety, and social support inventories every 6 months for up to 2 years. Initially, 35% of recipients were depressed and 45% of recipients were anxious. In linear mixed models, depression decreased over time overall but increased in those who experienced ICD shocks. Anxiety decreased in New York Heart Association class III ICD recipients but not in class II ICD recipients. Decreases in social support were related to age: the younger the patient the greater the decrease. A significant proportion of ICD recipients were depressed or anxious, or had diminished social support even after 2 years. Investigation of strategies to improve ICD recipients' psychosocial status is warranted.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland 21201-1579, USA.
authors.forename: Sue A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Friedmann
authors.forename: Stephen S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Patricia G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Morton
authors.forename: Deborah W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Chapa
authors.forename: Hyeon-Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun-Shim
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Nahm
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D011594:Psychometrics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires