Attention Training Technique in Treatment of Anxiety and Depression in Coronary Heart Disease Patients

Vestre Viken Hospital Trust

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Coronary Artery Disease; Depression, Anxiety

Treatments: Behavioral: Attention Training Technique

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05621408

52002

Details and patient eligibility

About

Anxiety and depression are associated with work disability, lower participation rate in cardiac rehabilitation and unfavourable life style changes following a coronary heart disease (CHD) event. The prevalence of clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety in CHD patients has been estimated to 30-50%. Furthermore, depression and anxiety are associated with a significant increased risk of subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events and mortality in CHD patients. Psychological interventions for anxiety and depression in CHD patients have demonstrated small and uncertain effects of symptoms, and no effect on cardiovascular outcomes. Therefore, testing the effectiveness of specific psychological interventions that may affect central mechanisms for cardiovascular outcomes, has been requested. The Attention training (ATT) Study is a randomized controlled trial comparing group-attention training to wait-list control in 64 patients who experience significant anxiety and depression after a CHD event. It will also be explored whether reduction in psychological symptoms is correlated with changes in biological markers with a potential link to cardiovascular outcomes.

Enrollment: 64 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Established coronary heart disease as main somatic disease
• >=8 on either HADS-anxiety or depression subscale
• Age 18 - 65 years
• The ability to understand and speak Norwegian language,
• Willingness and ability to give informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Current or past neurological illness
• Traumatic brain injury
• Current alcohol and/or substance dependency disorders
• Psychotic disorders
• Bipolar disorders
• Developmental disorders
• Mental retardation
• Cognitive impairment which precludes informed consent/ability to participate
• Acute suicidality
• Life-expectancy less than 12 months
• Concurrent psychological intervention for emotional distress
• Antidepressant or anxiolytic medication initiated during previous 8 weeks

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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64 participants in 2 patient groups

Attention Training Techniqe

Experimental group

Description:

The treatment manual will consist of up to six weekly group sessions with 45-90 minutes duration.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attention Training Technique

Wait-list control

No Intervention group

Description:

The wait-list control condition will not receive any psychological intervention during the six weeks waiting period. Subsequently, this group will also receive the intervention if the study entry criteria is still fulfilled