The contribution of psychologists to cardiac rehabilitation

Abstract

The effects of exercise based rehabilitation programmes are limited, partly due to an inadequate selection of patients who are in need of such programmes. For some patients health education programmes and/or stress management interventions have more favourable results. The tasks of a psychologist involved with the care of coronary patients in general hospitals and rehabilitation settings are psychological assessment, psychological treatment and indirect patient care. These tasks can be accomplished in three different phases respectively; the acute phase in the coronary care or the intensive care unit, the subacute phase in the nursing ward, and the phase following discharge from the hospital. The involvement of a psychologist varies dependent upon the particular phase after myocardial infarction or coronary artery bypass surgery.