Comparison of the Effect of Local Cold Therapy and Hand and Foot Massage on Blood Pressure in Post-Operative Patients

Abstract

Background: Postoperative blood pressure management has an important role in controlling postoperative complications. Local cold therapy and massage, in addition to pharmacotherapy is useful as a safe method to manage blood pressure.Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of Local cold therapy versus hand and foot massage on blood pressure of the patients undergoing surgery.Methods: This Semi-experimental study with three-group, before- after design was conducted on 90 patients undergoing surgery in 2019 at Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Patients entered the study using convenience-sampling method and randomly allocated to intervention (local cold therapy and massage) and control groups. Local cold therapy and massage performed three times a day for 20 minutes for 48 hours. After the intervention, blood pressure changes re-measured by the researcher.Results: The mean differences of systolic blood pressure before and after the intervention in the massage (p=0.001) and local cold therapy (p=0.002) groups was significant, also mean differences of diastolic blood pressure before and after the intervention in the massage (P<0.001) and local cold therapy (P=0.036) groups was significant. The ANOVA test showed that the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure was not significant for different groups before (P=0.28) and after (P=0.059) the intervention. Conclusion: In order to use Local cold therapy and hand and foot massage effectively along with routine care, teaching its use to nurses as well as patients' companions can be useful.

Keywords

• local cold therapy
• hand and foot massage
• blood pressure
• patients, surgery