Psychological intervention as part of the comprehensive treatment of patients with heart failure: Effect on functional capacity Intervención psicológica como parte del tratamiento integral de pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca: Efecto sobre la capacidad funcional

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a cognitive-behavioral psychological intervention on the functional capacity of heart failure patients, effect measured by the six minute walk test. Fifty three patients with heart failure -functional class I and II- participated, who were randomly assigned to: 1) the control group (usual medical treatment, n= 27, mean age 61.07 ± 15.96, 55.6% male), or 2) the experimental group (usual medical treatment and psychological intervention, n = 26, mean age 58.42 ± 16.42, 65.4% women). By means of the six-minute walk test, the distance traveled in meters, the physical fatigue level and effort level reported in the Borg scale, were all assessed. The evaluations were performed both before and at the end of the intervention program, plus a three-month follow-up was carried out. The psychological intervention program included psycho-education, diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and training in problem solving, in four sessions of 90 minutes each, deferred weekly. The results show that while the experimental group decreased the reported physical fatigue level (p = 0.02) and the effort level (ns) when the traveled distance increased (p = 0.00), the control group showed no significant changes. We concluded that the proposed intervention has a positive effect on the health condition of patients, as it is tailored to the special needs of this population; thus we suggest the integration of interdisciplinary teams that include psychological intervention programs to improve cardiovascular health and the quality of life of patients.