Effects of music on patient anxiety in coronary care units

In this experimental study we examined the effects of listening to relaxation-type music on self-reported anxiety and on selected physiologic indices of relaxation in patients with suspected myocardial infarction. Seventy-five patients were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups, one listening to music and the other to "white noise," or to a control group. The State Anxiety Inventory was administered before and after each testing session, and blood pressure, heart rate, and digital skin temperature were measured at baseline and at 10-minute intervals for the 30-minute session. There was no significant difference among the three groups for state anxiety scores or physiologic parameters. Because no differences were found, analyses were conducted of the groups combined. Significant improvement in all of the physiologic parameters was found to have occurred. This finding reinforces the need for nurses to plan care that allows for uninterrupted rest for patients in the coronary care unit.