Information sheets for patients with acute chest pain: randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Patient Education
• Psychological Health

Background:

• Patients presenting with acute chest pain often experience significant anxiety and uncertainty.
• Standard care typically involves verbal advice, but its impact on patient well-being is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of providing an information sheet to patients with acute chest pain.
• To determine if this intervention reduces anxiety, improves quality of life, and enhances satisfaction with care.

Main Methods:

• A single-center, non-blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted.
• 700 patients with acute chest pain were randomized to receive either standard verbal advice or verbal advice plus an information sheet.
• Anxiety, depression, quality of life (SF-36), and patient satisfaction were primary and secondary outcomes.

Main Results:

• Patients receiving the information sheet reported significantly lower anxiety and depression scores.
• The intervention group showed improvements in mental health and general health perception as measured by the SF-36.
• No significant differences were observed in patient satisfaction, subsequent symptoms, or lifestyle changes.

Conclusions:

• Providing an information sheet is an effective strategy for reducing anxiety and depression in patients with acute chest pain.
• The intervention positively impacts mental health and general health perception.
• Further research may explore long-term effects and patient preferences for information delivery.