Music therapy for pain and anxiety in patients after cardiac valve replacement: a randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess how listening to music after cardiac valve replacements affected patients' pain, anxiety, and vital signs. METHOD: In Fuzhou, China's Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, the cardiac surgery division conducted a randomized controlled clinical experiment. 86 patients were enrolled, and 43 were assigned randomly to each group (control and experimental group). The standard treatment was given to the control group, while the experimental group was given standard treatment + a 15-min music intervention 3 times. Indicators include pain, anxiety and vital signs (respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood pressure). RESULTS: In comparison to the control group, the experimental group, over time, demonstrated a statistically substantial decrease in pain, anxiety, systolic blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate (all P < 0.001), yet, there were no discernible variations (P > 0.05) in diastolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, these results provide additional proof for using music therapy to minimize cardiac postoperative pain and anxiety, as well as systolic blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate. Moreover, it should be regarded as a supplementary treatment for pain and anxiety after cardiac valve replacement and other medical procedures with comparable postoperative pain.