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Updated: Mar 15, 2026
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Published on: March 15, 2022
Non-pharmacological interventions to reduce psychological distress in patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac
Diane L Carroll1, Alison Malecki-Ketchell2, Felicity Astin3
11 Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research, Institute for Patient Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, USA.
Insights
Non-pharmacologic interventions, including procedural education and psychological preparation, can reduce psychological distress for patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Further research is needed to optimize relaxation techniques for this patient population.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychology
- Health Intervention
Background:
- Cardiac catheterization is a standard diagnostic procedure for coronary heart disease.
- The procedure can induce significant physical and emotional distress, impacting patient health perception and potentially leading to adverse outcomes.
- Non-pharmacologic interventions are explored to mitigate psychological distress in patients undergoing this procedure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of non-pharmacologic interventions on psychological distress in cardiac catheterization patients.
- Assessed interventions include procedural education, relaxation techniques, and psychological preparation.
- Focused on reducing anxiety, depression, and pain associated with the procedure.
Main Methods:
- A rapid review of published, peer-reviewed, English-language intervention studies from 1981 to 2014.
- Included adult patients undergoing cardiac catheterization in experimental and quasi-experimental designs.
- Data synthesis was narrative, based on independent data extraction and quality assessment.
Main Results:
- Twenty-nine studies involving 2504 patients tested the three intervention types.
- Findings indicate that non-pharmacologic interventions can effectively reduce psychological distress in some patients.
- The efficacy of interventions varied, with some showing greater impact than others.
Conclusions:
- Recent evidence supports procedural education and psychological preparation in reducing distress during cardiac catheterization.
- Further investigation is required to identify optimal relaxation techniques for patients.
- Non-pharmacologic strategies show promise in improving patient experience and outcomes.
Background:
Cardiac catheterization is the standard procedure for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease. The threat physically and emotionally from this procedure can affect the patient's perception of their health. The heightened psychological distress associated with this diagnostic procedure can cause adverse patient outcomes. Non-pharmacologic interventions have been implemented to reduce psychological distress associated with cardiac catheterization.
Aims:
The objective of this rapid review is to assess the efficacy of non-pharmacologic interventions (procedural education, relaxation techniques, psychological preparation) on psychological distress experienced by patients as they undergo a cardiac catheterization.
Methods:
Published, peer-reviewed, English-language intervention studies from 1981 to 2014 were identified in a search of CINAHL, Medline, and Cochrane Library. Eligible studies included adults undergoing cardiac catheterization. Studies included in this review used experimental and quasi-experimental designs and assessed at least one primary outcome: anxiety, depression, and pain to test non-pharmacologic interventions pre and post-cardiac catheterization. Researchers independently extracted data from included studies and completed a quality assessment using a published tool. Data were synthesized as a narrative.
Results:
There were 29 eligible experimental and quasi-experimental studies that tested the three interventions ( n=2504). Findings suggest that non-pharmacologic interventions were able to effectively reduce psychological distress in some patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.
Conclusion:
Evidence is stronger in recent studies that non-pharmacologic interventions of procedural education and psychological preparation can reduce psychological distress in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Further research is needed to define the various relaxation techniques that can be effectively implemented for patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.
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