Cognitive therapy for ventricular dysrhythmia patients.

Living with a serious ventricular dysrhythmia and its treatment poses certain psychological stressors including anxiety, depression, fear, and a sense of loss of control. Additional stressors related to side effects and technology issues may be present depending on whether the patient is treated with antidysrhythmic medications, an internal cardioverter defibrillator, or both. Cognitive therapy has been used with some success to reduce patient fear and improve psychological outcomes in some patient populations with illnesses characterized by loss of control including cancer and epilepsy. This article outlines a cognitive therapy approach for use with patients who have a serious ventricular dysrhythmia.