The effects of long-term follow-up support, and the degree to which psychological factors predict remission in cardiovascular disease.

This project, which is a collaborative project between Department of Psychology, the Cardiology Unit, Östersund Hospital, and Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, comprises a unique population-based, randomized, open-label study with blinded assessment of primary events, and with a follow-up period over 5 years from the first inclusion. All patients diagnosed with myocardial infarction or stroke/TIA over a period of five years in the county of Jämtland are included and will be randomized either to receive extended support or not.

The overall research question to be answered is if a long-term follow-up support  after a myocardial infarction or a stroke, by specially trained cardiovascular nurses (intervention group) provide a better penetration of secondary preventive treatment and lower morbidity and mortality compared to routine follow-ups in primary care (control group). During 2014 the first analyzes of recurrent clinical events will be possible.

Our own main focus in this project is to analyze to what degree psychological/emotional factors at the discharge and at the 12 months assessments will predict future clinical events.