Title : Evaluation of stress in patients with forced bedrest after undergoing cardiac catheterization
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree of stress in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization via a femoral artery or vein.
The subjects in this study were nine patients (53-84 years) who underwent cardiac catheterization using a femoral artery or vein. To evaluate autonomic nerve function, salivary alpha-amylase activity (sAA), galvanic skin response (GSR) and ECG were measured and low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) were calculated from a spectral analysis of heart rate variability of ECG. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used as a subjective evaluation. Approval for the present study was obtained from Ethical Committee in the University of Tsukuba.
Although GSR didn’t show any significant change, sAA levels tended to increase during forced bedrest compared with immediately after examination, and levelssignificantly decreased following release from bedrest. This was accompanied by similar changes of LF/HF, which reflects sympathetic nerve activity. Also, VAS at one hour after release from bedrest decreased significantly in comparison with the other periods.
In conclusion, our results suggest that sympathetic nerve activity increased during forced after the examination, followed by a decrease after release from bedrest. Furthermore, uncomfortable sensation were decreased after release from bedrest. Therefore, since stress in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization increase during forced bedrest, appropriate care is required to reduce stress, depending on the situation.
