Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
The aim of this pilot randomized controlled trial was to evaluate whether adding a 16-week structured meditation intervention to a long-term (phase III) cardiac rehabilitation program reduces perceived stress and improves anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Patients were randomized 1:1 to standard cardiac rehabilitation plus meditation (experimental group) or standard cardiac rehabilitation alone (control group). The meditation intervention consisted of four weekly 90-minute group sessions followed by 12 weeks of daily individual practice supported by weekly follow-up calls. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after 16 weeks.
Despite advances in cardiac care, psychological stress, anxiety, and depression remain common in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and contribute to worse cardiovascular outcomes. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs are effective in reducing physical risk factors but often do not adequately address the psychological burden of CAD. Mind-body interventions such as meditation have been suggested as cost-effective adjuncts to CR, but evidence in long-term phase III CR programs remains limited.
This pilot randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the additive effect of a structured meditation intervention combining Karuna (compassion) and Metta (loving-kindness) practices, integrated into a long-term CR program. The intervention included four weekly 90-minute group sessions led by a physiotherapist trained in meditation techniques, followed by 12 weeks of daily individual practice (20 minutes/day) supported by recorded video material and weekly follow-up telephone calls. Outcomes were measured at baseline (M0) and after 16 weeks (M1), using validated psychometric instruments administered by telephone interview by a blinded health professional.
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard CR + Meditation | Experimental | Participants received the standard exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program plus a 16-week structured meditation intervention. The meditation component included four weekly 90-minute group sessions during the first month (led by a physiotherapist trained in meditation), followed by 12 weeks of daily individual practice (20 minutes/day) supported by a recorded video and weekly follow-up telephone calls. Each group session included a thought-sharing moment (30 min), a conscious breathing protocol - diaphragmatic 1:2 and heart-focused breathing (30 min), and a guided Karuna (compassion) and Metta (loving-kindness) meditation (30 min). |
|
| Standard CR | Active Comparator | Participants received the standard exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program without the meditation component. The standard CR program consisted of supervised group exercise sessions three times per week (60 min per session), with combined aerobic and resistance training prescribed according to European Society of Cardiology guidelines. After completing the 16-week assessment, control-group participants were offered the same breathing and meditation protocol. |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Program | Other | A 16-week structured meditation program added to standard cardiac rehabilitation. During the first month, participants attended four weekly 90-minute group sessions led by a physiotherapist trained in meditation techniques. Each session included: (1) a 30-minute thought-sharing and Q&A moment; (2) a 30-minute conscious breathing protocol combining diaphragmatic abdominal breathing in a 1:2 inhale-to-exhale ratio and heart-focused breathing; and (3) a 30-minute guided meditation combining Karuna (compassion) and Metta (loving-kindness) practices. During the subsequent 12 weeks, participants practised individually for 20 minutes per day, supported by a recorded video by the same instructor and weekly follow-up telephone calls to maintain engagement and address questions. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Perceived Stress (PSS-10) | The Perceived Stress Scale is a 10-item self-report questionnaire (score range 0-40) assessing the extent to which life events over the previous month are perceived as unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloading. Higher scores indicate greater perceived stress. | baseline and 16 weeks |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory, BAI) | 21-item self-report measure of anxiety symptom severity, score range 0-63. Severity categories: minimal (0-7), mild (8-15), moderate (16-25), severe (26-63). | baseline and 16 weeks |
| Depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II, BDI-II) |
Not provided
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Centre of the University of Lisbon (CRECUL) | Lisbon | Portugal |
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
|
| Exercise-based Cardiac Rehabilitation (standard) | Other | Standard long-term (phase III) exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program delivered three times per week (60 minutes per session) on non-consecutive days, supervised by exercise physiologists. Each session included a 10-minute warm-up and cool-down. Moderate continuous aerobic training was prescribed at 40-75% of heart rate reserve for 20-25 minutes per session using cycle ergometers or treadmills. Resistance training was performed after the aerobic component (1-2 sets of 8-12 repetitions at approximately 60-80% of one-repetition maximum, with 2-3 minutes rest between sets), according to European Society of Cardiology guidelines. Heart rate was monitored with a chest band. |
|
21-item self-report measure of depressive symptom severity, score range 0-63. Severity categories: minimal (0-13), mild (14-19), moderate (20-28), severe (29-63) |
| baseline and 16 weeks |
| Health-Related Quality of Life (HeartQoL) | 14-item disease-specific HRQoL questionnaire for ischaemic heart disease, providing Physical (10 items), Emotional (4 items), and Global scores. Higher scores indicate better HRQoL. | baseline and 16 weeks |
| Physical Activity Level (IPAQ-SF) | International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form. 9-item self-report measure categorizing participants into low, moderate, or high physical activity levels based on the past 7 days. | baseline and 16 weeks |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D003324 | Coronary Artery Disease |
| D001008 | Anxiety Disorders |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D003327 | Coronary Disease |
| D017202 | Myocardial Ischemia |
| D006331 | Heart Diseases |
| D002318 | Cardiovascular Diseases |
| D001161 | Arteriosclerosis |
| D001157 | Arterial Occlusive Diseases |
| D014652 | Vascular Diseases |
| D001523 | Mental Disorders |
Not provided
Not provided