Posted on 05/24/2021
CALME study

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is collaborating with Columbia University on research designed to help sudden cardiac arrest survivors. Survivors in our SCA Network are invited to participate. If you are a survivor who would like to participate, but are not yet a member of our SCA Network, please join our community here. Questions? Contact info [at] sca-aware.org.

Here at the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, we value medical research and the important role it plays in discovering reliable, valid, science-based practical information. 

With this in mind, we would like to share information about a research opportunity open to cardiac arrest survivors. It is a study being conducted by clinicians at the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health (CBCH) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). The study is called the CALME study and it involves a simple breathing practice that has been shown to:

  • Improve the natural and healthy variation in the heart’s activity
  • Significantly reduce fear and anxiety often experienced by cardiac arrest survivors.

The breathing activity (also called “heart rate variability biofeedback training”) is done by following guidance and instruction given by an easy-to-use smartphone-based app and wearing a comfortable heart rate monitor. 

The study team is looking for people 18 years and older and who have had a diagnosis of cardiac arrest to participate. Study participation will involve: 

  • Answering questions about yourself including your health history 
  • Wearing a heart monitor to assess your heart activity 
  • Using an app to complete a simple breathing practice as instructed 
  • Attending 3 brief video visits. 

Study participation takes about three weeks. You could receive up to $150 paid in the form of a Bank of America PayCard for the successful completion of required study activity. Additionally, once the study is finished you will be allowed to keep the heart rate monitor. 

If you have questions and would like to speak to someone who is part of the research team, please reach out to the study’s principal investigator, jlb2287 [at] cumc.columbia.edu">Jeffrey Birk. If you wish to read and learn more about the CALME study, please click this link which will take you to an online information sheet consent. More information about the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health (CBCH) can be found here.

Thank you for considering the CALME study!

See related email here.

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