EFFECT OF PSYCHOTHERAPY ON DEPRESSED PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD)

Abstract

Objectives: To see the effects of psychotherapy in depressed patients withcoronary artery disease (CAD)

Methodology: This was a randomized clinical trial conducted in Preventivesection, Cardiology department, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from March2018 to October 2018. Verbal informed consent was taken from patients.Patients from both genders and all ages were included. Patients were randomlyallocated to therapy group and non-therapy group. In therapy group, treatmentplan based on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, were administered tosubjects. There were six session in total, two every week. The subjects in nontherapygroup received routine care. After completing the sessions, the subjectswere reassessed by PHQ-9 to see improvement in the level of depression. Datais presented as frequency, mean and standard deviation calculated for eachvariable. Paired T test was used to compare continuous data and Chi-square forcategorical variables.

Results: A total of 1100 patients with CAD presenting to cardiology departmentwere enrolled. Out of these 1100 patients, 272 post MI patients diagnosed with ofdepression on PHQ- 9 were selected for the study.. A sample of 260 subjects whomet the inclusion criteria was analyzed Therapy group had 125 subjects andnon-therapy group had 135 subjects. Mean age was 57.07±13.07. Males were43% and females 57%. Of total literate were 33%, hypertension was documentedin 52.3 %, diabetes in 31.2%, and Current smokers were 21.2 %. At baseline thePHQ scores were 10.08±1.68 in therapy group and 10.10±1.49 in non-therapygroup respectively (p =0.783). After six sessions of treatment, therapy groupshowed reduction in level of depression PHQ-9 scores to 6.04±0.347 PHQscores were 10.08±1.68 in therapy group and 10.10±1.49 in non-therapygroup (p 0.783) at the baseline (p≤0.001), In non therapy group the level ofdepression did not reduce significantly.

Conclusion: Psychotherapy was found to be effective treatment in reducingsymptoms of depression.