Patients' experiences and feelings before undergoing peripheral percutaneous transluminal angioplasty

The use of interventional radiology as treatment has increased dramatically and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is now a common indication for vascular interventions such as percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA).(1) PAD seriously impairs quality of life, and patients experience a lack of control over the disease. The aim of this study was to identify patients who are predominantly anxious or calm before PTA treatment and to explore reasons for these feelings. The study includes both individual interviews, a shortened version of a Swedish Mood Adjective Check List (MACL), and an overall assessment of the perceived degree of calmness-anxiety. Forty-two patients were included in the study. The 'anxious' group showed a significantly lower mood in all scales of the MACL compared with the 'calm' group. Reasons for feeling calm were a sense of being safe and high expectations. Reasons for feeling anxious were represented by a sense of despair and apprehension about the PTA. The main reason for feeling calm was related to trust in their caregivers and an ability to foresee upcoming events. The main reason for feeling anxious before the PTA was fear of a negative outcome and being unsure of treatment options. Greater knowledge and a better understanding of their disease and treatment options would support patients' ability to accept reasons for waiting before using invasive treatment. Moreover, this could decrease their anxiety and increase their feeling of being in control of their situation.