Positive Health Online

Abstract

COLLINS and RICE, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor USA studied the effects of progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery upon psychological and physiological outcomes in adults suffering from cardiovascular disease participating in a cardiac rehabilitation programme. @m:METHODS: 50 patients from 4 midwestern hospitals who had had acute heart attack or coronary artery bypass surgery or both, within the preceding 12 weeks, participated in a phase II cardiac rehabilitation programme for 6 weeks and were randomly assigned either to the relaxation group (RG) or control group (CG). Psychological measures included state and trait anxiety; physiological measures included resting heart rate, blood pressure, subjective tension levels prior to and following home practice, practice patterns and perceived helpfulness of the intervention. Each person received an individual instruction session in progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery and practiced daily at home with audiotape instructions over the 6-week period. @r: There were no statistically significant differences in state anxiety scores or reported symptoms. However, there were reductions in interpersonal sensitivity and depression for the RG. The groups differed at the end of the study in resting heart rate and systolic blood pressure. Compared to the CG, the RG had a mean resting heart rate 8.6 beats/min lower and also had within-group reductions in mean heart rate. Contrary to expectation, the CG had a 3.5 mm Hg lower mean systolic blood pressure and within-group reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. CG subjects had a greater number of dose increases in cardiac medications and fewer dose reductions than RG subjects, who also had a higher number of dose reductions. RG subjects reported frequent practice of the technique, rated it as helpful and reported lower subjective tension levels following practice. @c: These results did not support the results in the earlier study of Bohachik (lower state anxiety and fewer somatisation, interpersonal sensitivity and depression). However, the within-group scores for interpersonal sensitivity and depression, reduction in heart rate and receptivity to this intervention suggests that this may be a feasible and helpful adjunctive therapy for participants in a phase II cardiac rehabilitation programme.

Background

Methodology

Results

Conclusion

References

Collins JA and Rice VH. Effects of relaxation intervention in phase II cardiac rehabilitation: replication and extension. Heart Lung 26(1): 31-44. Jan-Feb 1997.

Comment

How curious (and typical) that the control group had lower blood pressure than the relaxation group. More research on the drawing board. @i:21