Psychotherapy was just as effective as antidepressants

Psychotherapy reduced the severity of depressive symptoms in heart failure patients as effectively as antidepressants. People in the psychotherapy group also had better physical and mental health-related quality of life, went to the emergency department less often, and spent fewer days in the hospital.

Researchers from the University of California compared the effectiveness of one psychotherapy technique - behavioral activation - and antidepressant therapy in patients with heart failure and depression. The results of the study were published by Medscape portal with reference to JAMA Network Open.

The severity of depressive symptoms decreased after six months by almost 50% compared to baseline both in patients in the psychotherapy group and in the antidepressant group. The reduction was maintained for a year and did not differ significantly between the groups.

Also, patients in the psychotherapy group were almost 2.5 times more likely to report improved quality of life related to physical and mental health. Patients in the psychotherapy group were 38% less likely to go to the emergency department, and their length of hospitalization was 17% shorter.

Data from 416 patients with heart failure and a confirmed depressive disorder were analyzed. The mean age was 60.7 years. The participants were divided into two equal groups of 208 people each: one group received antidepressants, the second group received behavioral activation treatment.

The severity of depression symptoms was assessed after 6 months using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included physical and mental health-related quality of life, emergency department visits, and length of hospitalization.

The authors concluded that both psychotherapy and antidepressants were effective in treating depression, and the choice of therapy option may be determined by the patient's personal preference.