Reducing anxiety during phase I cardiac rehabilitation

Anxiety can produce undesired effects in patients recovering from cardiac conditions including coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Pharmacological, psychological and educational interventions are used to reduce patient anxiety. This study compared the effects on state anxiety of participation in one of two Phase I (in-patient) educational interventions for patients undergoing their first coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Subjects (n = 96) were randomly assigned to either a traditional, staff-directed intervention or an intervention based on a collaborative approach. Eighty subjects were included in the data analyses. Results demonstrated that subjects in the collaborative-based intervention had significantly less state anxiety at hospital discharge than those in the traditional intervention. The collaborative approach offered patients opportunities to address individually identified concerns regarding recovery and future functioning and to exert control over facets of their hospitalization experience.