By Wendy Haaf
If you’re hospitalized for heart disease, getting treatment for anxiety and depression could sharply reduce your chances of needing a return visit, a recent US study suggests.
Researchers tracked 1,563 people for up to four years who had been hospitalized with newly identified heart failure or blocked arteries—all of whom had also been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or depression. Rates of emergency-room visits or rehospitalizations were up to 75% lower among those who’d received any kind of mental-health treatment.
Medication alone and talk therapy alone each reduced the likelihood of having to return to hospital by roughly half, but a combination of the two treatments showed a drop of up to 75% as well as an approximately 67% lower chance of death from any cause.
Source: Journal of the American Heart Association
Virtual Therapy a Viable Option
Therapist-guided cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) appears to be just as effective when it’s delivered from a distance as it is when it’s conducted in person, according to a recent study. A Canadian research team analyzed the results of 54 randomized controlled trials (involving 5,463 participants) of therapist-guided remote (teleconference or video conference) versus in-person CBT for treating problems ranging from anxiety and depressive symptoms to chronic pain, insomnia, and tinnitus.
The study authors concluded that “moderate-certainty evidence showed little to no difference in the effectiveness of in-person and therapist-guided remote CBT.”
Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal
Tool for Managing Dementia Symptoms
One of the most pressing problems for people caring for a family member who’s living with dementia is dealing with symptoms such as agitation and delusions. In response to that need, the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health has created the Behaviours in Dementia Toolkit. The free online library comprises more than 300 free, research-backed resources in formats ranging from videos and podcasts to tip sheets.
