Effect of Music Therapy in Relieving Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Surgery and anaesthesia provoke anxiety in almost all the patients, causing increased sympathetic activity, leading to increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Non pharmacological means are now being evaluated for relieving anxiety and stress during perioperative period due to their safe and non interfering profile among the multitude pharmacological interventions and music is one of the most practical and easy to use application. Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a preoperative music intervention on changes in anxiety levels and its indirect haemodynamic parameters which are mean arterial pressures, heart rate and serum catecholamine levels in patients undergoing surgery. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 patients were included of which 50 each were assigned to the music intervention group and the control group. Serum catecholamine levels were assessed in 10 patients from each group randomly. Patients in the intervention group listened to music during the preoperative period for a minimum period of 20 minutes which was continued till the patient was rolled into the operation theatre. Patients in the control group received standard care without any intervention. Data was collected preoperatively at time 1 (T1) in the pre-surgical area and at time 2 (T2) before induction in the operation theatre and analysed with professional statistical software. Results: There was statistically significant decrease in the HR, MAP and anxiety score (2-tailed significance <0.001), in the intervention group as compared to those in the control group. Also there was significant decrease in the serum epinephrine levels with significance (0.039) but norepinehrine levels were not declined significantly in the control group. Conclusion: Music is a non-invasive and low-cost intervention that can be easily implemented in the preoperative setting and the findings suggest that preoperative music can reduce HR, MAP and anxiety.

Keywords

• catecholamine levels
• haemodynamic parameters
• sympathetic activation