title: Psychological interventions for coronary heart disease: cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression and anxiety are common in cardiac patients, and psychological interventions may also be used as part of general cardiac rehabilitation programs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to estimate effects of psychological interventions on mortality and psychological symptoms in this group, updating an existing Cochrane Review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review and meta-regression analyses of randomized trials evaluating a psychological treatment delivered by trained staff to patients with a diagnosed cardiac disease, with a follow-up of at least 6 months, were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no strong evidence that psychological intervention reduced total deaths, risk of revascularization, or non-fatal infarction. Psychological intervention did result in small/moderate improvements in depression and anxiety, and there was a small effect for cardiac mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological treatments appear effective in treating patients with psychological symptoms of coronary heart disease. Uncertainty remains regarding the subgroups of patients who would benefit most from treatment and the characteristics of successful interventions.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Whalley
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Rod S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000517:prevention & control; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012044:Regression Analysis