# Best evidence summary for the assessment and management of psychosocial distress in patients with coronary heart disease

## TL;DR

This study summarizes the best evidence for managing psychological distress in patients with coronary heart disease to improve their recovery and well-being.

## Contribution

It provides a systematic synthesis of the best available evidence across five domains of psychosocial care for CHD patients.

## Key findings

- 24 pieces of evidence were synthesized from guidelines, expert consensus, and systematic reviews.
- The evidence covers five domains: personnel qualifications, psychological assessment, interventions, follow-up, and referral for severe issues.
- Findings support individualized psychological strategies to reduce negative emotions and improve cardiac rehabilitation engagement.

## Abstract

Psychological distress significantly affects the progression of coronary heart disease (CHD), functional recovery and overall well-being. This study aims to establish an evidence-based foundation for clinical practice by systematically retrieving and synthesizing the best evidence on the assessment and management of psychosocial distress in CHD.

According to the ‘5S’ evidence model, a top-down search strategy was conducted to collect relevant evidence, including guidelines, best practice, evidence summaries, expert consensus, systematic reviews or Meta-analyses. The search for this study covered the period from the database inception through September 10, 2025. Two reviewers independently screened and assessed the literature, then synthesized the evidence using the JBI evidence grading and recommendation system.

A total of 21 articles were ultimately included, comprising 3 guidelines, 5 expert consensuses, 1 clinical decision, and 12 systematic reviews. This study summarizes 24 pieces of evidence across five aspects of social and psychological distress in patients with CHD: Personnel Qualifications and Team Composition, Psychological Assessment, Psychological Interventions, Continuity of Care and Follow-up Management, and Identification and Referral of Severe Issues.

This study systematically synthesizes the best available evidence from five core domains concerning early assessment and intervention for psychosocial distress in patients with CHD. The findings may inform the development of individualized psychological support strategies in clinical settings, facilitating timely alleviation of negative emotions and improving patient engagement in cardiac rehabilitation.

http://ebn.nursing.fudan.edu.cn/resource/summary, identifier ES20244245.