Treatment of patients with coronary heart disease and depressive disorders in rehabilitation

Depressive disorders in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) are connected with negative effects on the course of the cardiac disease. Until today there has been no clear etiological model to explain the interaction of depressive disorders and cardiac risk parameters. Both, somatic and behavioural aspects seem to be important. Depressive symptoms are a serious risk factor for CHD-patients demanding for a broad bio-psychosocial treatment conception in cardiac rehabilitation. Most intervention studies have mainly focussed on the reduction of depressive and anxious symptoms in CHD-patients without co-morbid mental disorders. However, for CHD-patients with a co-morbid depressive disorder specific psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatments have proved a reduction in depressive symptoms. This reduction in depression was - unexpectedly not associated with an improved cardiac prognosis. Based on these previous studies the present paper introduces the concept of a combined psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological intervention for depressed patients in cardiac rehabilitation. Specific characteristics of the patients and of the health care system are taken into consideration. Anticipated difficulties in the psychotherapeutic treatment of depressive CHD-patients are addressed and possible solutions are indicated.