Effects of Lavender Oil Inhalation on Anxiety and Pain in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography

Abstract

ackground: Cardiovascular diseases alone account for 48% of deaths in the world. There is a high rate of coronary angiography for the early diagnosis of such diseases. Not only do patients suffer anxiety because of the invasive nature of this procedure but also they experience pain and discomfort for several hours after the procedure. We conducted this study to assess the effects of the inhalation of lavender essential oil on anxiety and pain in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Methods: This clinical trial was performed at Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical, and Research Center, Tehran, Iran. Eighty patients who were hospitalized for coronary angiography participated in this study. The patients were divided into 2 groups: control (n = 40) and intervention (n=40). Data collection tools included the 3 forms of demographic information, standard Spielberger questionnaire, and visual analog pain scale, which were completed by both groups before and after aromatherapy with lavender oil. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS software, version 16.0. (Armonk, NY, USA) using the χ2, McNemar, Wilcoxon, Mann–Whitney, and t tests. Results: The 2 groups were comparable apropos age, sex, marital status, and education level. After aromatherapy, the level of anxiety in the intervention group decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in comparison with the control group. Additionally, the extent of pain in the 2 groups showed a significant difference (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Smelling the scent of lavender significantly reduced anxiety and pain in our patients, before and after coronary angiography. (Iranian Heart Journal 2017; 18(1):44-50)