Psychologic preparation for cardiac catheterization.

Cardiac catheterization is an invasive medical procedure that is anxiety arousing for most patients. Four psychologic preparatory strategies designed to reduce anxiety and enhance adaptation were compared with an attention placebo control intervention. Sixty adult patients scheduled for cardiac catheterization were randomly assigned to one of five groups: sensory-procedural information, modeling, cognitive-behavioral coping skills, modeling plus coping skills, or attention placebo control. Subjects' reactions to cardiac catheterization were assessed by using self-report, behavioral, and physiologic measures. Results indicated that subjects in the modeling and modeling plus coping skills groups were rated as less anxious and better adjusted during the catheterization than control subjects. Compared with controls, subjects in the two modeling groups also reported less subjective anxiety and greater perceived coping ability during the catheterization. All subjects who received a preparatory treatment demonstrated lower levels of autonomic arousal both during and after the test than did control subjects. The results support the efficacy of preparatory strategies that include a patient model.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes