Innovative VR therapy helps ease anxiety in cardiovascular disease

Living with cardiovascular disease often takes a serious emotional toll - and with stress known to worsen heart health, there's growing interest in low-risk, innovative ways to help patients cope. New research from UCLA Health suggests that virtual reality (VR) may offer a promising tool to ease psychological stress and support heart health. 

In a pilot study involving 20 patients from UCLA's cardiology clinic - either living with or at risk for cardiovascular disease - participants engaged in a 30-minute VR relaxation experience featuring colorful, immersive visuals and soothing audio. These patients were considered to have above average levels of stress, with nearly half having a history of anxiety or depression, conditions commonly linked to coronary artery disease or recovery from serious cardiac events. 

After a VR session, many patients experienced a significant impact to their psychological state. Many described a calming sense of "distance from stress" and indicated that they lost track of time or felt as if they were "floating." 

Physiological measurements also supported these experiences. Participants in the study, published in JMIR Cardio, showed a statistically significant drop in their STAI-S (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State) scores, a validated tool for measuring current anxiety; decreased heart rates; and signs of increased vagal tone - a marker of parasympathetic nervous system activation, which helps the body relax and recover from stress. 

These findings demonstrate the potential of harnessing immersive technologies to meaningfully reduce stress in cardiac patients. At a time when we're increasingly embracing new mind-heart-body approaches to care, this offers a safe, low-risk and effective tool to support both emotional well-being and heart health." 

Tamara Horwich, MD, cardiologist and professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and corresponding author of the study

Further, she added: "Stress is a significant and under-addressed contributor to cardiovascular risk. Our study supports the broader use of behavioral cardiology tools like VR to complement traditional treatment, so patients feel calmer and more connected to their own healing process."