The Effects of Self-Hypnosis on Quality of Life Following Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Preliminary Results of a Prospective, Randomized Trial

Abstract

The effects of complementary techniques and alternative medicine on allopathic therapies is generating much interest and research. To properly evaluate these techniques, well controlled studies are needed to corroborate the findings espoused by individuals practicing complementary medicine therapies. To this end, we evaluated the role of one of these therapies, self-hypnosis relaxation techniques, in a prospective, randomized trial to study its effects on quality of life after coronary artery bypass surgery. Subjects were randomized to a control group or a study group. Study group patients were taught self-hypnosis relaxation techniques the night prior to surgery. The control group received no such treatment. Patients then underwent routine cardiac management and care. The main endpoint of our study was quality of life, assessed by the Profile of Moods Scale. Results demonstrated that patients undergoing self-hypnosis the night prior to coronary artery bypass surgery were significantly more relaxed than the control group (p = 0.0317). Trends toward improvement were also noted in depression, anger, and fatigue. This study demonstrates the beneficial effects of self-hypnosis relaxation techniques on coronary surgery. This study also identifies endpoints and a study design that can be used to assess complementary medicine therapies. Results of this preliminary investigation are encouraging and demonstrate a need for further well-controlled studies.

Effects of an Integrative Nursing Intervention on Pain in Critically Ill Patients: A Pilot Clinical Trial

“…9 The intervention-associated decrease in anxiety is in line with previous reports on relaxation, 28,[44][45][46]54 music, 48,49,55 and touch-massage. 21,55,56 We also found some effect of the intervention on patients' fear, which is an important outcome because fear is involved in pain perception.…”

“…The decrease in pain did not correspond to use of analgesics, which remained almost stable, in line with previous results. 46 This finding may be understandable on the basis of clinical practices, because at the time of the study, pain assessment tools were not used in the unit, and, therefore, prescription of analgesics was not based on valid assessments.…”

Bypass Surgery with Psychological and Spiritual Support (the BY.PASS Study): Results of a Pragmatic Trial Based on Patients’ Preference

“…Other studies with patients undergoing open heart surgery showed that psychological variables seem to determine the surgical outcome and psychological reactions to surgery [1,7]; there is also some evidence for psychological interventions improving the patients’ status medically as well as psychologically [2,3,4,5,6]. Most of the existing evidence comes from controlled studies with planned, manualized interventions of longer duration.…”

“…Depending on the provided interventions and the outcomes, these studies found small negative effects, no effects as well as small to large positive effects on well-being, anxiety, depression, pain, and recovery [2,3,4,5,6,38]. There remain gaps in the literature regarding the effects of spiritual interventions.…”

“…In this regard, therapeutic preference plays an important role in patients’ decisions. There is some persuasive evidence from RCTs that psychological interventions in perioperative cardiac surgical care [2,3,4,5,6] are efficacious related to postoperative psychological as well as somatic outcomes. In contrast, effects of spiritual interventions have not been thoroughly examined.…”