Anxiety and Vagal Control of the Heart in Coronary Disease

February 17, 2016 updated by: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
To examine the role of reduced vagal control of heart rate in the increased risk of cardiac mortality associated with anxiety in a population with established coronary artery disease (CAD). A second objective is to determine whether the effects of anxiety are independent of the effects of depression.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

BACKGROUND:

Coronary heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, despite risk factor reduction and technological advances in treatment options. Prospective studies implicate chronic anxiety as an independent risk factor for fatal coronary heart disease. In particular, anxiety increases the risk of sudden cardiac death substantially.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

Nine hundred and fifty CAD patients were recruited for this study from patients hospitalized for elective cardiac catheterization. Anxiety was measured by the Hospital Anxiety Scale, the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Crown-Crisp Phobic Anxiety Scale. Symptoms of depression were measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, the Hospital Depression Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Vagal control of heart rate was determined using power spectral analysis to measure two indices of vagal control: baroreceptor-mediated vagal reflex cardiac control, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Patients were followed at 6 months, l year, 2 years, and 3 years postcatheterization, and cardiac mortality data were obtained, including non-sudden and sudden cardiac death. The data generated by this study were used to examine the involvement of impaired vagal cardiac control in the risk of fatal coronary heart disease and sudden cardiac death associated with anxiety.

Specifically, the study examined: (1) the relationship between anxiety and cardiac mortality; (2) the relationship between anxiety and vagal control; (3) the role played by reduced vagal control in mediating anxiety-related risk; and (4) the relationship between depression, vagal control and cardiac risk. Findings of a relationship between anxiety, reduced vagal control and sudden cardiac death would suggest the potential importance of early intervention in cardiac patients with anxiety disorders and would underscore the benefit of aggressive monitoring of arrhythmias in this population, which may ultimately translate to reduced mortality rates.

The study completion date listed in this record was obtained from the "End Date" entered in the Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS) record.

Study Type

Observational

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

No older than 100 years (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

No eligibility criteria

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Collaborators and Investigators

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Sponsor

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Investigators

  • Lana Watkins, Duke University

Publications and helpful links

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General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

June 1, 1999

Study Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2004

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 28, 2000

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 28, 2000

First Posted (Estimate)

September 29, 2000

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

February 18, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 17, 2016

Last Verified

January 1, 2006

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 919
  • R01HL060826 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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