ABSTRACT
Purpose
Anxiety is one of the most important causes of hypertension, increasing direct blood pressure and affecting postoperative morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of showing the operating room on preoperative anxiety and hemodynamics among patients with hypertension.
Methods
We enrolled 90 patients with hypertension undergoing cholecystectomy in this trial.
Patients were randomly divided into two groups using a sealed-envelope system. Group STOR was shown the operating room the day before surgery, while Group No STOR was not shown the operating room.
Results
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores measured on the day of surgery were lower for Group STOR (43.2 ± 6.0) than Group No STOR (49.8 ± 7.9) (p = .001). Systolic (p = .001, p = .006, respectively), diastolic (p = .001, p = .004, respectively), and heart rate (p = .018, p = .031, respectively) values in the operation room and preoperative unit were lower in Group STOR than in Group No STOR. The number of postponed operations in Group STOR was lower than in Group No STOR (p = .043), and the patient satisfaction score in Group STOR was higher than in Group No STOR (p = .031).
Conclusion
In patients with hypertension, preoperative anxiety, blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate all increase in the preoperative unit and operation room. Our findings indicate that showing the operating room to patients with hypertension decreases preoperative anxiety, as well as blood pressure and heart rate inside the operating room and preoperative unit. It also reduces the number of postponed operations and increases patient satisfaction.
Acknowledgments
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Conflict of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.