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iCBT for Cardiac Anxiety in Patients With NCCP
Sponsor: Linkoeping University
Summary
Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) is a common condition that significantly affects patients' mental well-being, overall quality of life, and healthcare use. Even after ruling out cardiac issues, many patients still worry about having an undiagnosed cardiac illness, leading to cardiac anxiety since no other explanation is provided. Consequently, they avoid activities they believe might harm their heart, worsening their overall health and resulting in increased healthcare visits and societal costs. Addressing cardiac anxiety through psychological interventions could help break this viscious cycle and enhance patient outcomes. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) can assist patients in reassessing their perceptions, emotions and behaviours in order to handle their chest pain and therby reduce their cardiac anxiety. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of a guided 8-week iCBT program on cardiac anxiety, generalized anxiety, kinesiophobia, fear of body sensations, depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, chest pain frequency and illness perception. Also to examine how participants' personality traits influence the effectiveness of the iCBT program. Furthermore, to assess the cost-effectiveness of the iCBT program compared to attention control. In addition, we will explore the perceptions of participants regarding the therapeutic alliance during the treatment.
Official title: Patient and Societal Benefits of Guided Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Cardiac Anxiety in Patients With Non-cardiac Chest Pain
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
126
Start Date
2024-03-15
Completion Date
2027-12
Last Updated
2025-04-29
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy
Psychoeducation aims at teaching patients about chest pain and anxiety and their impact on daily life. Mindfulness is used to raise awareness of what is going on in the body and emotions and to learn how to relate to chest pain. Physical activity consists of psychoeducation and recommendations regarding physical activity with the goal to get patients to learn that their heart tolerates physical activity and to reduce cardiac anxiety and avoidance of physical activity. Avoidance/exposure is to teach patients how avoidance and safety behaviours can maintain/exacerbate chest pain and negatively impact daily life. Acceptance is about learning to accept having the chest pain without letting it take over one's life. The participants will have weekly assignments with weekly feedback and advice. Reminders and encouraging messages will be sent to motivate participants to complete the intervention. The treatment will be carried out through our own web platform.
Attention control
General support via weekly email contact to check how participants are feeling and how they are dealing with their situation. iCBT will be offered after 3 months.
Locations (1)
Linköping University
Linköping, Sweden