Effect of Meditation as an Adjunct to Cardiac Rehabilitation
Key facts
- Where
- São Paulo, BrazilSee the site
Where in Brazil
- Instituto Dante Pazzanese de CardiologiaSão Paulo, BrazilTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia
- Trial code
- NCT07310992
- Record updated
- 26 August 2026
- Original description
Cardiovascular rehabilitation is a well-established standard of care that significantly reduces morbidity and mortality while improving quality of life. However, integrating behavioral interventions into physical training may offer additional benefits for autonomic regulation and emotional well-being.Read full original descriptionShow less
The Effect of Meditation Practice Combined With Cardiac Rehabilitation on Improving Quality of Life and Controlling Blood Pressure.
Cardiovascular rehabilitation is a well-established standard of care that significantly reduces morbidity and mortality while improving quality of life. However, integrating behavioral interventions into physical training may offer additional benefits for autonomic regulation and emotional well-being.
This randomized clinical trial aims to investigate the efficacy of adding a brief, guided mindfulness meditation session to a standard cardiovascular rehabilitation program. The study seeks to determine whether this combined intervention enhances blood pressure control, improves perceived quality of life, and increases patient adherence compared to standard rehabilitation alone.
Participants newly enrolled in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Service will be randomized into two groups. Both groups will undergo a standard 12-week regimen of aerobic and resistance training combined with optimized medical therapy. The intervention group will additionally receive 15 minutes of voice-guided mindfulness meditation at the end of each exercise session. Key outcome measures include blood pressure variability, quality of life scores (assessed via EQ-5D), and attendance rates.
Inclusion: Patients of both sexes, aged 18 years or older; Newly enrolled in the Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation Program; Clinically stable condition with medical clearance to perform aerobic and resistance exercises; Diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (e.g., coronary artery disease, post-myocardial infarction, post-cardiac surgery, or stable heart failure) warranting rehabilitation; Willingness and cognitive ability to provide written informed consent; Availability to attend the twice-weekly sessions for the 12-week duration of the study.
Exclusion: Current regular practice of meditation, yoga, or other mind-body techniques (defined as formal practice more than once a week in the previous 3 months); Severe cognitive impairment or psychiatric disorders that preclude understanding of the meditation instructions or group participation (e.g., dementia, untreated psychosis); Unstable clinical conditions such as unstable angina, uncontrolled arrhythmias, or decompensated heart failure that contraindicate physical exercise; Current participation in other psychological or behavioral intervention clinical trials; Significant orthopedic or neurological limitations that prevent the performance of the exercise protocol; Refusal to participate in the randomization process.