Effect of acupressure on the anxiety and pain of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization: A systematic review

Abstract

The objective of this systematic review was to examine the influence of acupressure on the levels of anxiety and pain among individuals undergoing cardiac catheterization. An extensive search was carried out across global electronic databases, encompassing Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, along with Iranian databases like Iranmedex, spanning from the earliest available date to October 1, 2023. The search utilized keywords derived from Medical Subject Headings, encompassing terms like "acupressure", "anxiety", "pain", and "cardiac catheterization". The quality evaluation of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies was performed utilizing the critical assessment checklist from the Joanna Briggs Institute. A total of 781 patients participated in nine studies, with 59.60% being female, and 57.11% assigned to the intervention group. The participants had a mean age of 55.72 years (SD=9.13), and the average duration of the intervention was 12.78 minutes. The findings of this systematic review suggest that health professionals, including nurses, can effectively utilize acupressure to mitigate both pain and anxiety in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. As a recommendation, it is advised that healthcare managers and policymakers create supportive environments within hospitals, enabling healthcare professionals to incorporate acupressure techniques. This proactive approach may contribute to the reduction of anxiety and pain experienced by patients undergoing cardiac catheterization.