Complementary Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine

Chapter 9 /Prayer and CVD 137
9 Prayer and Cardiovascular
Disease
Jonathan E. E. Yager, MD,
Suzanne W. Crater, RN, ANP-C,
and Mitchell W. Krucoff, MD, FACC
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
DEFINITIONS AND NOMENCLATURE
SPIRITUALITY AND SPIRITUALITY TRIALS IN
CARDIOVASCULAR CARE
PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED TRIALS
OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER IN CARDIOLOGY
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY CONSENSUS
STATEMENT
INTERCESSORY PRAYER AND NONCARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASES
FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN HEALING PRAYER STUDIES
CURRENT PERSPECTIVES ON CLINICAL APPLICATION
OF HEALING PRAYER
CONCLUSIONS
REFERENCES
INTRODUCTION
Prayer has been an important part of human existence for thousands
of years. People turn to a prayer in times of reflection, gratitude, and
crisis, including physical illness. Surveys have shown that more than
From: Contemporary Cardiology
Complementary and Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine
Edited by: R. A. Stein and M. C. Oz © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ
137