Comparing the Aromatherapeutic Effects of Orange and Lavender Essential Oils on Anxiety and Physiological Indicators in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography: A Clinical Trial Study

Anxiety is one of the common complications resulting from invasive diagnostic methods, especially coronary angiography. It affects physiological responses of the patient and jeopardizes his/her vital signs in the angiography suite. Aromatherapy has suggested to reduce anxiety.

In this regard, the present study aimed at comparing the effects of orange and lavandula (lavender) essential oils on anxiety and physiological parameters of patients undergoing coronary angiography.

This clinical trial was performed on 101 patients undergoing coronary angiography who were admitted to the Fatemeh Al-Zahra Hospital in Sari, northern Iran in 2018. Convenience sampling was done and the subjects were randomly divided into three groups, including the control, lavender and orange groups. Data collection was done using a demographic and disease questionnaire, Spielberger’s state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), a sheet to record physiological variations, a barometer and a second timer. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS 22 using chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, one-way ANOVA, paired t-test, Tukey’s post-hoc test, Kruskal-Wallis test, paired Wilcoxon test and Mann-Whitney U test.

The results indicated a significant difference in the mean anxiety score between the lavender and control groups as well as the orange and control groups (P < 0.001); a significant difference was also observed between the orange and lavender groups after the intervention (P < 0.001). Furthermore, systolic blood pressure, pulse rate and respiration rate decreased significantly in subjects exposed to the lavender and orange essential oils compared to the control group (P < 0.001).

According to the findings, orange and lavender aromatherapy could relieve anxiety in patients undergoing angiography. Accordingly, this intervention can be adopted as an effective measure in anxiety-ridden situations, like diagnostic procedures.