Can a phone call lift your spirits after a heart attack? VA tests online therapy

NCT ID NCT04877197

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 25, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether a type of talk therapy called behavioral activation, delivered over secure video calls, can help veterans with heart disease and depression improve their daily functioning and mood. About 132 veterans recently discharged from the hospital for a heart event will receive either 12 weekly therapy sessions or standard follow-up care. Researchers will check their social roles, physical function, and re-hospitalization rates up to 9 months later.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC

    RECRUITING

    Charleston, South Carolina, 29401-5703, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Behavioral activation therapy delivered via home-based telehealth

What this could lead to

If it works, this could provide an effective way to improve daily functioning and reduce depression in heart patients recovering at home.

What could go wrong

This is a relatively small trial (132 participants) focused on veterans, so results may not apply to everyone. The therapy requires 12 weekly sessions, which may be hard for some to complete.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cardiovascular disorder Depression depressive disorder major depressive disorder Psychological Well-Being

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.