A State-of-the-Art Review written by members of ACC's Cardiopsychology Work Group and published May 15 in JACC: Advances examines the mental health sequelae of patients who survive sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and patients who experience shocks from an ICD (ICD-S), potential therapies for managing these symptoms, strategies to improve mental health in this patient population and areas for future research.

According to Estelle Torbey, MD, FACC, et al., survivors of SCA and ICD-S are at risk of developing unrecognized and untreated mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress, which can affect their ability to return to usual life as well as adhering to follow-up care plans.

"Mental health care is a vital component of integrative value-based cardiovascular care; however, it often remains unaddressed following sudden cardiac arrest and ICD shocks. It is crucial to recognize the role of cardiopsychology in emphasizing the significance of mental health assessment and the management of subsequent conditions through a well-structured, pre-established multidisciplinary pathway in both hospital and outpatient settings," says Torbey.

In their review, the authors discuss how addressing mental health as part of a whole person care could lead to improved patient well-being. "...there is a lack of standards for integrated care pathways that attend to whole person functioning," they write.

Furthermore, they discuss the need for standardized pathways for both patients and their families regarding behavioral, cognitive and complementary therapy to ensure adequate support is given after SCA and ICD-S. Developing these standardized pathways requires integrating existing therapies along with addressing gaps in research.

"It is crucial to reduce the burden of [mental health] associated with these events to enhance care delivery and outcomes for this high-risk population by training health professionals, supporting multidisciplinary efforts, and implementing strategies to identify and manage [mental health] sequelae" write the authors. "These efforts when guided by a recovery-oriented care could impact the overall well-being of the patient and be a major step into establishing a health care system with a comprehensive vision of healing in a value-based care context."