Mindfulness therapy for patients with coronary heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Weina Li, Xiaoqin Liao, Dandan Geng and 4 others
PMID 39129297WHAT IT FOUND
Mindfulness-based interventions significantly reduced anxiety, depression, and perceived stress in patients with coronary heart disease.
Systolic blood pressure also improved, but there was no significant effect on diastolic blood pressure, BMI, or quality of life.
Key findings
01Mindfulness-based interventions significantly reduced anxiety (SMD = −0.86), depression (SMD = −0.73), and perceived stress (SMD = −0.64) compared to control groups.
02There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SMD = −0.79), but no significant effect on diastolic blood pressure or quality of life.
03The evidence is limited by high heterogeneity in the primary outcomes and a small number of included studies (8 RCTs).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The analysis included only eight randomized controlled trials, resulting in a small evidence base. There was high statistical heterogeneity in the primary psychological outcomes, meaning the studies varied significantly in their results. Most studies lacked long-term follow-up, with only one study assessing effects at three months post-intervention. The risk of bias was high or unclear in seven of the eight studies, particularly regarding blinding and allocation concealment. The search was limited to English-language studies, which may introduce publication bias.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume mindfulness improves overall quality of life or diastolic blood pressure in CHD patients. The meta-analysis found no significant difference for these outcomes compared to control groups, despite significant improvements in anxiety and depression.