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Published on: September 12, 2014
Psychophysiological manifestations of anxiety in patients undergoing electrophysiology studies
S A Cupples1, B Paige-Dobson, D Armstrong
1Heart Transplant Program, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
Objective:
To measure state anxiety and related physiological correlates at 3 selected times when patient education regarding electrophysiology (EP) studies is likely to occur: 24 hours before the EP study (pre-procedure teaching), 1 hour before the EP study (reinforcement of pre-procedure teaching), and 3 hours after the EP study (explanation of results; reinforcement of post-procedure instructions).
Design:
Descriptive-exploratory.
Setting:
Military medical treatment facility in mid Atlantic region.
Subjects:
Thirty-two adults who underwent initial EP testing.
Outcome Measures:
The Spielberger State Anxiety score, frontalis muscle tension, heart rate, electrodermal activity, electrothermal feedback, and mean arterial pressure.
Methods:
Outcome measures were obtained 1 day before (time 1), 1 hour before (time 2), and 3 hours after (time 3) the EP study.
Results:
Both state anxiety scores and physiological variables indicated minimal psychophysiological reactivity.
Conclusion:
Patients undergoing initial EP studies experience moderate state anxiety and manifest a paradoxical pattern of autonomic responses over time. Moderate levels of state anxiety at each of the 3 assessment points would seem to indicate that patient education is appropriate at these times.
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