Heart failure: exercise findings for anxiety and depression remain uncertain
Aerobic exercise showed favorable symptom estimates, while the highest-ranked approaches had inconclusive intervals; the review rated the evidence as low to very low certainty.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
In this review's abstract, aerobic exercise was the only non-drug approach with statistically significant estimates for both anxiety and depression in people with heart failure. However, the evidence was rated low to very low certainty. The results suggest a possible benefit while leaving substantial uncertainty about its size and which approach works best.
The abstract rates certainty as low to very low and omits the reference comparator and follow-up duration. It does not support confident treatment rankings or conclusions about longer-term symptom changes.
Rankings and uncertainty
Tai Chi ranked highest for anxiety, and progressive muscle relaxation ranked highest for depression. Their confidence intervals included no effect, so those rankings should not be read as evidence that either approach reliably improves symptoms.
What the network adds
The review combined trial comparisons in a network and ranked interventions statistically. A high ranking and a convincing effect estimate answer different questions; the abstract itself reports uncertainty around the interventions placed first.
The original publication
Effects of non-pharmacological interventions on anxiety or depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Wang Z, Yi Y, Zhang G et al.
Gen Hosp Psychiatry · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41621139
- Record checked
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