Abstract

Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of muscle relaxation and music therapy on anxiety level in patients waiting for cardiac catheterization.

Background. Anxiety is one of the most common human emotions from positive or negative experiences of life. High levels of anxiety have many unwanted effects on the body systems. In stressful situations such as invasive diagnostic techniques, the person experiences high level of anxiety. One of the main responsibilities of nurses is to control anxiety in patients with pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods.

Method. This quasi-experimental study was conducted in one hospital affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Science. After obtaining approval and written consent, 150 patients, waiting for cardiac catheterization, were randomly divided into three groups of muscle relaxation, music therapy and control. Data were collected by demographic form and self-report form of anxiety through interview. One hour before cardiac catheterization, the level of anxiety was measured in all groups, then, muscle relaxation group was asked to perform Benson muscle relaxation for 20 minutes based on listening to a recorded tape of guidance by headphone. At the same time, the music therapy group listened to music tape by headphone. Control group received no intervention but standard nursing care. Immediately before cardiac catheterization, the level of anxiety was measured again in all groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS using Fisher exact test, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

Findings. Immediately before catheterization, patients' anxiety level was significantly reduced (p<0.001) in muscle relaxation and music therapy groups, while it increased in the control group. Immediately before catheterization, a statistical significant difference was found between levels of anxiety in groups (p<0.001).

Conclusion. Both Benson muscle relaxation and music therapy significantly reduced anxiety level of patients and music therapy had more effect on the anxiety level of patients waiting for cardiac catheterization.

Abstract

Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of music therapy on ventilation criteria in mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit.

Background. Complications made by mechanical ventilation are so much and considerable. Improvement of ventilation criteria is one of the factors that facilitatesweaning from mechanical ventilation.

Method. This randomized controlled trial was conducted in intensive care units of a teaching hospital affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Seventy patients were recruited based on inclusion criteria and randomly allocated to experimental (n=35) and control (n=35) groups. For experimental group, relaxing music therapy was played with headphone for 30 minutes, once in the morning and once in the afternoon for one day. For control group, headphone was used without music for 30 minutes, once in the morning and once in the afternoon for one day. In both groups, ventilation criteria of respiratory rate, peak airway pressure and arterial saturation of oxygen (SaO2) were recorded in four intervals. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 18 using statistical test.

Findings. Comparing of trends of ventilation criteria in experimental group showed that music therapy significantly reduced the mean respiratory rate (p= 0.0001), while in the control group, the mean respiratory rate slightly increased with time. In experimental group, the mean airway pressure reduced significantly within 30 minutes (17.30±3.65) compared with the time zero (19.68±3.64) (p=0.001). In the control group, the mean airway pressure increased slightly. The amount of spo2 did not differ significantly between experimental and control group (P=0.051).

Conclusion. Implementing music therapy in mechanically ventilated patients admitted to intensive care unit can reduce respiratory rate and maximum airway pressure. These could reduce the work of breathing and facilitate weaning the patient from ventilators.