Effectiveness of Mindfulness Meditation Programs in the Promotion of Quality of Life in Patients with Heart Failure: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is a disabling illness with significant morbidity and mortality, affecting at least 26 million people worldwide, and is increasing in prevalence. 1 In spite of optimal medical treatment, many patients continue to show a high prevalence of symptoms, 2-6 including dyspnea, fatigue, edema, 7 as well as psychosocial distress. [8][9][10][11] This burden of symptoms contributes to a high morbidity and poor health-related quality of life -HRQoL. 7,12,13 The HF patient's quality of life itself is associated with prognosis, hospitalizations, and mortality. 14,15 Mindfulness is described as the ability to pay attention in a particular way: on purpose, at the present moment, and non-judgmentally. 16 Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) includes meditative exercises, using focused breathing as a tool, and has been effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, 17,18 as well as in improving physical functioning 17,19,20 and decreasing cardiovascular sympathetic activity in randomized controlled trials-RCTs. 19,20 Over the past decade, many RCT's have presented evidence on the effectiveness of MBI in several chronic conditions, such as cancer, depression, chronic pain,