Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Support Adults Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery A Randomized Feasibility Study at University of Iowa

What this Trial Is About

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, contributing to 16% of global fatalities and imposing a significant economic burden, especially as the population ages. Some patients with heart disease experience symptoms not relieved by medications and require coronary artery bypass graft CABG surgery. Although CABG can improve chest pain and has life-prolonging potential, it may increase inflammation and is often accompanied by high levels of anxiety and depression around the time of surgery, which can affect health outcomes and quality of life. This trial is a randomized controlled feasibility study comparing a brief, two-session telehealth Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ACT intervention to treatment as usual for patients undergoing CABG surgery. The ACT intervention focuses on psychological flexibility through core processes such as being present, opening up, and doing what matters, and includes workbooks and mindfulness audio exercises. The control group receives usual preoperative care, including appointments with surgeons and nurse practitioners and educational workbooks about hospital orientation and lifestyle factors. Participants will be assessed on measures of anxiety, depression, psychological flexibility, well-being, cardiovascular health-related quality of life, and inflammation markers before surgery and at 8 weeks after. Researchers will monitor feasibility factors like participant satisfaction, adherence, enrollment, intervention delivery, and retention. The study aims to evaluate both the feasibility and preliminary effects of ACT during the perioperative period for CABG patients, helping guide future larger trials.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery