Methods of coping with stress and anxiety in patients undergoing coronary angiography; peer education and orientation tour

Angiography is the best method of diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease, but for many patients is a stressful and daunting experience. Patient tries to cope with the stress and anxiety affects on the physiological responses and confronts the risk of the angiography room. This article is written to familiarize this community with the incidence, morbidity and non pharmacologic methods of coping with stress and anxiety in patients undergoing coronary angiography, particularly methods of peer education an orientation tour, considering to the role supportive and palliative nurses.

This study is review article that search through the library and internet resources like Pub Med, Science direct, Nursing consult, SID and Magiran which is published in 2004 - 2014.

High levels of stress and anxiety in patients undergoing coronary angiography increase activity of the sympathetic nerves and vascular permeability, so that there is the possibility of dysrhythmias during coronary angiography, coronary artery spasm or rupture. Although many pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods have been proposed but the reduction of anxiety and stress of these patients is one of the major challenges for nurses. Reducing anxiety and increasing satisfaction and confidence are required to provide detailed and accurate information about how to perform coronary angiography and necessary actions before, during and after of the consistent and patient notification. It seems that it can reduce anxiety and stress to the patient by a peer education method and orientation tour with angiography department.

So it is fitting due to the insufficiency of nurses and increasing the number of heart patients undergoing coronary angiography and insufficient knowledge about the process and its method, high prevalence of stress and anxiety before surgery and adverse effects associated with it and the effects of tranquilizers, using different approaches based on nursing education such as peer education and orientation tour to reduce stress and anxiety in this patient.