Effects of a brief intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy versus usual care for cardiac rehabilitation patients with coronary heart disease (ACTonHEART): a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: The main objective of the study is to investigate the short-term efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the simultaneous modification of biological indicators of risk and psychological well-being in patients with coronary heart disease attending cardiac rehabilitation (CR).

Design: This was a two-arm randomised controlled trial comparing a brief, manualised, ACT-based intervention with usual care (UC).

Setting: The study was conducted in an outpatient CR unit in Italy.

Heart Rate Variability and Cognition: A Narrative Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies.

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) is a reliable and convenient method to assess autonomic function. Cross-sectional studies have established a link between HRV and cognition. Longitudinal studies are an emerging area of research with important clinical implications in terms of the predictive value of HRV for future cognition and in terms of the potential causal relationship between HRV and cognition.

Effects of cardiac rehabilitation on cardiopulmonary test parameters in heart failure: A real world experience.

Background: Cardio-Pulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) is the gold standard for evaluation of patients with heart failure (HF); however, its use is limited in everyday practice. We analyzed the use of CPET for HF management in the real world.

Methods: From 2009 to 2022, 341 patients with HF underwent 12-16 weeks of rehabilitation in our Centre.