Abstract
Introduction: Many patients in coronary care unit (CCU) suffer from decreased sleep quality caused by environmental and mental factors. This study compared the efficacy of foot reflexology massage, foot bath, and a combination of them on the quality of sleep of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: This quasi-experimental study was implemented on ACS patients in Iran. Random sampling was used to divide the patients into four groups of 35 subjects. The groups were foot reflexology massage, foot bath, a combination of the two and the control group. Sleep quality was measured using the Veran Snyder-Halpern questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 13. Results: The mean age of the four groups was 61.22 (11.67) years. The mean sleep disturbance in intervention groups (foot reflexology massage and foot bath groups) during the second and third nights was significantly less than before intervention. The results also showed a greater reduction in sleep disturbance in the combined group than in the other groups when compared to the control group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the intervention of foot bath and massage are effective in reducing sleep disorders and there was a synergistic effect when used in combination. This complementary care method can be recommended to be implemented by CCU nurses.
Highlights
Many patients in coronary care unit (CCU) suffer from decreased sleep quality caused by environmental and mental factors
Exclusion criteria were the presence of a skin disease, eczema or any wound on the area treated by massage and foot baths, diabetes or neuropathy, use of sedatives or general anesthesia within the previous 12 hours, ejection fraction (EF) of less than 40% and addiction to stimulatory drugs, alcohol, narcotics or sedatives
The frequency distribution of acute coronary syndrome showed that STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) had the highest frequency; the results showed no significant difference between the four groups (P > 0.05), making them homogeneous (Table 1)
Summary
Many patients in coronary care unit (CCU) suffer from decreased sleep quality caused by environmental and mental factors. This study compared the efficacy of foot reflexology massage, foot bath, and a combination of them on the quality of sleep of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Conclusion: It can be concluded that the intervention of foot bath and massage are effective in reducing sleep disorders and there was a synergistic effect when used in combination. This complementary care method can be recommended to be implemented by CCU nurses. Unstable coronary artery plaque is the major cause of ACS This syndrome can be presented as sudden cardiac arrest due to ischemia and tachyarrhythmia.. Coronary artery disease and its complications are the most common cause of death in developed countries. The world health organization (WHO) reported in 2002 that 22% of deaths globally and 37% of deaths in Iran were caused by cardiovascular disease
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