The Role of Music and Music Therapy in Cardiac Rehabilitation

Sa？etak Music therapy has become a part of comprehensive medical practice conducted in cooperation and in agreement with other members of the medical team as part of the overall rehabilitation of patients. Within the scope of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), the music therapist is a member of the cardiology team who participates in each phase of patient care and assists in the process of maintaining good heart health. The most common type of music therapy used in CR is receptive music therapy, which involves active and focused listening to selected music in order to achieve therapeutic goals. Contemporary, evidence-based music therapy emphasizes the importance of the patient's choice of music that ensures the most effective treatment. Here, the use of music therapy is primarily aimed at calming, alleviating and reducing stress and anxiety, as well as improving mood. Systematic and targeted use of music is an effective psychological intervention whose effects are reflected in physiological outcomes, such as lowering of arterial blood pressure and heart rate. These effects are attributed to the brain and autonomic nervous system activity; however, the relationship between musical characteristics and the autonomic nervous system activity is still not entirely clear. Further studies are needed to provide answers to questions regarding limitations, as well as recommendations for using this kind of intervention in cardiac rehabilitation programs