Effects of Guided Imagery on Anxiety and Physiological Indicators in In-patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

One of the most important complaints of patients with the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is anxiety, whose control is particularly important. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of guided imagery on state and trait anxiety and their physiological indicators in patients with ACS. At this clinical trial selected 50 patients by convenience sampling and randomly allocated to control and experimental groups using permutation blocks. Anxiety and physiological indicators in both groups were measured using the Anxiety Inventory (STAI), a monitoring device and a checklist respectively. In addition to the routine cares for the control group, the experimental group listened to a guided imagery CD for three days, twice a day (16 minutes). The data were analyzed using paired t-test and ANOVA. Only trait anxiety was significantly reduced in the experimental group. Furthermore, there was no significant statistical difference between the two groups in terms of the mean blood pressure, heart rate and SpO2; the respiratory rate in the experimental group was however significantly less than that in the control group after the intervention. Based on these findings, GI may be useful in reducing trait anxiety and some physiological indicators in ACS patients.