Breathing Intervention for Cardiac Anxiety

Atrial Fibrillation Clinical Trial

Official title: Anatomical and Psychophysiological Substrates of Interoception

Status Terminated

Clinical Trial Summary

This study examines the impact of a breathing training intervention on cardiorespiratory sensations and anxiety in adults with cardiac arrhythmias.

Clinical Trial Description

Patients with cardiac arrhythmias develop increased rates of anxiety and depression. Atrial arrhythmias, such as paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), and ventricular arrhythmias, such as those with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) are particularly at risk. While ICDs can be life saving, many patients (including those without prior psychiatric illness) develop elevated rates of anxiety and depression, particularly after receiving discharges (shocks) from the device. Treatments involving modulation of the breath have been shown to improve both psychological and cardiac outcomes in patients with AF. Since breathing modulation alters sympathetic balance, this may be a mechanism of the therapeutic effect. This study examines the impact of a breathing training intervention on cardiorespiratory sensations and anxiety in adults with atrial and ventricular cardiac arrhythmias. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Atrial Fibrillation
• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

• NCT number: NCT02916550
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Inc.
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 2016
• Completion date: May 2023