Does audio-visual information influence the level of anxiety before invasive coronary procedures?

Abstract

Introduction

Anxiety before invasive coronary procedures may precipitate outcomes, so it is worth reducing.

Objective

We investigated the effect of audiovisual-based information, compared to structured verbal information, on the level of anxiety before invasive coronary artery procedures.

Method

We conducted a prospective randomized and controlled study including patients scheduled for non-emergent coronary artery procedures. Patients were randomized to be informed by structured verbal information alone or with the help of an audio-visual explanation. The level of anxiety was evaluated before and after the information. We used the Visual Analogical Scale (VAS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results

145 patients were included, males in 81.4% of cases; the mean ages were 61.63 years (SD 11.95); and there was a stabilised acute coronary syndrome in 81.4% of cases. Patients were illiterate or had a low instructive level in 42.9% of cases. 65.5% of patients adhered to the national social insurance regimen. 22.6% of patients experimented with invasive coronary procedures, but only 23% were estimated to have been appropriately informed before the procedure. Patients were very anxious according to the STAI-Trait Score (46.34 ± 6.15), with no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.068). The variation in the level of anxiety was a significant reduction in both groups. In the group of verbal structured information, the VAS was very significantly reduced (3.17 ± 1.51 After vs. 3.6 ± 1.51 Before; p < 0.0001), and the STAI-State too (45.93 ± 6.4 vs. 46.28 ± 6.7; p < 0.0001). In the group of audio-visual-based information, the anxiety was reduced very significantly according to the VAS (3.45 ± 1.11 after vs. 4.51 ± 1.18; p < 0.0001) and to the STAI-State score (43.48 ± 6.42 after vs. 47.05 ± 5.88; p = 0.008). We compared the variation of anxiety between the two groups, and we noticed a much more important reduction in the level of anxiety in the group of audio-visual information: VAS (−0.43 ± 1.25 in the verbal information group vs. −1.06 ± 0.99 in the audiovisual group; p < 0.001) and the STAI-State (−0.35 ± 5.09 in the verbal information group vs. −3.57 ± 7.16 in the audiovisual group; p = 0.002).

Conclusion

Both verbal and audio-visual-based information reduced the level of anxiety before invasive coronary procedures. But audio-visual information was more effective.