Potential of Non-Drug Methods in the Treatment of Anxiety in Elderly Patients

Abstract

The results of a study aimed at assessing the potential use of millimeter therapy in the treatment of anxiety in elderly patients are presented. The aim of the study was to assess the potential use of millimeter therapy in the treatment of anxiety in elderly patients. Materials and methods. A comparative study of the effectiveness of EHF-therapy in the treatment of elderly patients with anxiety, against the background of chronic forms of coronary heart disease in the form of angina of tension of the first-third functional classes and arterial hypertension of the first or second degree of the fourth class of risk of cardiovascular complications. The total number of patients was 92 people. (men – 44, women – 48). Patients were divided into 2 groups. Patients of the clinical observation group (n = 45) during treatment of the main somatic disease additionally received EHF-therapy sessions, patients of the control group (n = 47) received only drug therapy for the somatic disease and phytotherapeutic drugs to alleviate anxiety symptoms. To assess the dynamics of anxiety and quality of life, a brief questionnaire SF-36 was used. Results and discussion. Before treatment, patients in the main group had reduced quality of life indicators on the scales: general health (GH) by 31.3 ± 2.0 points, role-based functioning (RP) - by 24.2 ± 3.1 points, pain (P) - by 20.6 ± 4.2 points, physical functioning (PF) - by 23.8 ± 2.0 points, vitality (VT) - by 26.1 ± 4.2 points, psychological health (MH) - by 37 , 8 ± 3.8 points, role-based emotional functioning (RE) - by 30.6 ± 3.5 points and social functioning (SF) - by 32.2 ± 2.1 points. At the end of treatment, there was a positive trend in the quality of life. It was noted that with concomitant alarming symptoms of cardiovascular pathology, the severity of cardiac pain syndrome was significantly (p < 0.05) compared with the value of the indicator before treatment, and indicators of physical and social functioning increased. Findings. It is shown that the inclusion of millimeter therapy in the treatment of anxiety in elderly patients with cardiovascular pathology contributes to a significant improvement in symptoms and quality of life. The inclusion of millimeter therapy in treatment programs improves their effectiveness, which consists in reducing the severity of anxiety symptoms in older people, and increases resistance to stress factors by forming an adequate behavioral stereotype.