Anxiety treatment by eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in patients with myocardial infarction

Abstract EN

Background: Anxiety after myocardial infarction is a very common problem leading to an increase in complications and hospitalization length.

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate a 12-month follow-up of the effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on anxiety levels in myocardial patients.

Materials and Methods: This study was a clinical trial study.

Sixty myocardial patients were selected using convenience random sampling and divided into two experimental and control groups.

The experimental group (n = 30) received EMDR in two 45 - 90 sessions.

No treatment was given to the control group (n = 30).

The instrument for collecting data in this study was the Beck anxiety inventory which was completed in both groups in three steps: before and after intervention, and at the end of a 12-month follow-up period.

Results: The findings collected during the 12-month follow-up indicated that EMDR was effective for treating anxiety in myocardial patients.

Conclusions: EMDR is an effective tool for curing or decreasing the level of anxiety in myocardial patients.