# Optimizing Cardiac Rehabilitation by Integrating Sleep Therapeutics

> **NIH VA IK2** · VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION · 2022 · —

## Abstract

The proposed CDA-2 will provide the candidate, Caitlan Tighe, PhD, with a specialized program of research
career development and mentoring to support her goal of becoming a clinical investigator who focuses on
developing and evaluating behavioral sleep interventions to enhance functioning and quality of life in older
Veterans with aging-related diseases. Dr. Tighe will seek mentored training to: 1) increase her proficiency in
the design and conduct of behavioral sleep intervention research in Veterans with aging-related diseases, 2)
establish conceptual knowledge and skills in the measurement of physical functioning (e.g., mobility, frailty)
and symptoms (e.g., pain) relevant to quality of life in these Veterans, 3) expand her expertise in the
development and adaptation of behavioral sleep interventions for integration into VA outpatient rehabilitation
and specialty medical care settings, and 4) enhance her grantsmanship, leadership, and organizational
management skills. These Training Aims are supported by her proposed research, in which the
Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention (TranS-C) will be adapted for delivery to Veterans in Cardiac
Rehabilitation and pilot-tested in this population. Cardiac Rehabilitation is a multicomponent secondary
prevention program for individuals who have experienced a cardiac event, including a cardiac procedure or an
exacerbation of disease. The goals of Cardiac Rehabilitation primarily center around the recovery of physical
functioning and the reduction of cardiovascular risk through physical activity, education, and counseling.
Patients in Cardiac Rehabilitation are now older and more medically complex than in the past, prompting a
need to broaden the scope of Cardiac Rehabilitation to address factors beyond cardiovascular disease that
contribute to functioning and quality of life. Sleep health is linked to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as
well as functioning and health-related quality of life. Cardiac Rehabilitation patients commonly experience poor
sleep health yet it is not formally intervened upon in Cardiac Rehabilitation. A behavioral intervention for sleep
and circadian problems, TranS-C was designed to promote sleep health across sleep problems of differing
types and degrees of severity thus having great potential to benefit those served in Cardiac Rehabilitation. The
proposed research plan draws from the NIH Stage Model of behavioral intervention development. Research
Aim 1 will involve formative work to optimize the TranS-C manual and protocol for delivery in Cardiac
Rehabilitation, with input from Veterans, content experts, and providers. Research Aim 2 will involve a
preliminary test and refinement of the adapted TranS-C manual and protocol with a small sample (N=10) of
Veterans who are participating in Cardiac Rehabilitation and report sleep disturbance and/or sleep-related
impairment. Research Aim 3 will involve a pilot randomized trial to establish the feasibility, acceptabil...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10254331
- **Project number:** 5IK2RX003393-02
- **Recipient organization:** VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Caitlan Ann Tighe
- **Activity code:** IK2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-10-01 → 2025-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10254331

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10254331, Optimizing Cardiac Rehabilitation by Integrating Sleep Therapeutics (5IK2RX003393-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10254331. Licensed CC0.

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