Humor, as an adjunct therapy in cardiac rehabilitation, attenuates catecholamines and myocardial infarction recurrence.
BACKGROUND
Catecholamines, especially epinephrine, are implicated in causing arrhythmias, hypertension, and recurrence of myocardial infarction (MI). Diminishing or blocking the effect of catecholamines is useful in cardiac rehabilitation. We have shown previously that a single 1-hour viewing of a humorous video attenuates epinephrine production.


METHODS
We hypothesized that daily participation in viewing humor would diminish catecholamine production and improve cardiac rehabilitation.


METHODS
Forty-eight diabetic patients who had recently experienced an MI were divided into 2 matched groups and followed for 1 year in their cardiac rehabilitation programs. The experimental humor group was asked to view self-selected humor for 30 minutes daily as an adjunct to the standard cardiac therapy. Blood pressure, urinary and plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels, and 24-hour Holter recording were monitored monthly in both experimental humor and control groups.


RESULTS
The patients in the humor group had fewer episodes of arrhythmias, lower blood pressure, lower urinary and plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels, less use of nitroglycerin for angina, and a markedly lower incidence of recurrent MI (2/24) than did the control group (10/24).


CONCLUSIONS
Humor appears to attenuate catecholamines and MI recurrence and thus may be an effective adjunct in post-MI care.
Tan
Stanley A
SA
Section of Endocrinology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, USA.
Tan
Linda G
LG
Lukman
Sharon T
ST
Berk
Lee S
LS
D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D027641:Laughter Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000652:urine; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014925:Wit and Humor as Topic / Q000523:psychology*
D002395:Catecholamines; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine