AIM: This paper is a report of a study to investigate the effect of three positioning protocols on back pain, heart rate, blood pressure and vascular complications after cardiac catheterization. BACKGROUND: After cardiac catheterization, bed rest is prescribed in order to minimize vascular complications, but this often leads to back pain and other complications, such as hemodynamic instability. METHODS: A three-group quasi-experimental design was used in this study, which was conducted in 2006. A convenience sample of 105 patients was randomly assigned to either the control or the two experimental groups (A and B). The control group received routine care. Group B was treated only with modified positioning and group A with modified positioning and a pillow under their body. Back pain, heart rate, arterial blood pressure, haematoma formation and bleeding were measured at regular time intervals. FINDINGS: The control group experienced higher levels of pain after 3, 6, 8 hours and the morning after catheterization. The level of pain in group B was also higher than in group A at 3 hours after the procedure. Mean heart rate and blood pressure were lower in the experimental groups compared with the control group at 6 and 8 hours after catheterization. No statistically significant difference between the three groups regarding the amounts of overall bleeding and overall haematoma formation was observed. CONCLUSION: Changing position in bed and using a supportive pillow during the early hours after cardiac catheterization can effectively minimize pain and hemodynamic instability without increasing vascular complications.
RCT Entities:
AIM: This paper is a report of a study to investigate the effect of three positioning protocols on back pain, heart rate, blood pressure and vascular complications after cardiac catheterization. BACKGROUND: After cardiac catheterization, bed rest is prescribed in order to minimize vascular complications, but this often leads to back pain and other complications, such as hemodynamic instability. METHODS: A three-group quasi-experimental design was used in this study, which was conducted in 2006. A convenience sample of 105 patients was randomly assigned to either the control or the two experimental groups (A and B). The control group received routine care. Group B was treated only with modified positioning and group A with modified positioning and a pillow under their body. Back pain, heart rate, arterial blood pressure, haematoma formation and bleeding were measured at regular time intervals. FINDINGS: The control group experienced higher levels of pain after 3, 6, 8 hours and the morning after catheterization. The level of pain in group B was also higher than in group A at 3 hours after the procedure. Mean heart rate and blood pressure were lower in the experimental groups compared with the control group at 6 and 8 hours after catheterization. No statistically significant difference between the three groups regarding the amounts of overall bleeding and overall haematoma formation was observed. CONCLUSION: Changing position in bed and using a supportive pillow during the early hours after cardiac catheterization can effectively minimize pain and hemodynamic instability without increasing vascular complications.