EXCLI J. 2016 Jan 22;15:64-74. doi: 10.17179/excli2015-748. eCollection 2016.

The effect of cold application and lavender oil inhalation in

cardiac surgery patients undergoing chest tube removal.
Hasanzadeh F1, Kashouk NM1, Amini S2, Asili J3, Emami SA3, Vashani HB1, Sahebkar A4.
Author information
Abstract
Post-surgical chest tube removal (CTR) is associated with a significant pain and discomfort for patients. Current treatment strategies for reducingCTRassociated pain and anxiety are limited and partially efficacious. To determine the effects of cold application, inhalation of lavender essential oil, and
their combination on pain and anxiety during CTR was investigated. This randomized controlled open-label trial was conducted with 80 patients in the
cardiac surgery intensive care unit who had a chest tube for duration of at least 24 hours after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Patients were
randomized (n=20 in each group) to receive cold application, aromatherapy with lavender oil, cold application in combination with lavender oil
inhalation, or none of the above interventions (control group). The intensity and quality of pain and anxiety were evaluated using the visual analogue
scale, short form and modified-McGill pain questionnaire (SFM-MPQ) and the Spielberger situational anxiety level inventory (STAII) scale, respectively.
Patients in all treatment groups had significantly lower pain intensity and anxiety compared with the control group immediately, 5, 10 and 15 min after
CTR. There was no statistically significant difference in the SFM-MPQ total scores between the intervention groups. With respect to anxiety score,
there was a significantly reduced anxiety level immediately after CTR in the aromatherapy and cold-aromatherapycombination groups versus the cold
application group. The present results suggested the efficacy of cold application and aromatherapy with lavender oil in reducing pain
and anxiety associated with post-CABG CTR.

KEYWORDS:
Lavandula angustifolia; anxiety; chest tube; cold application; nursing; pain

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:381381. doi: 10.1155/2013/381381. Epub 2013 Feb
17.

Effects of aromatherapy on the anxiety, vital signs, and sleep

quality of percutaneous coronary intervention patients in
intensive care units.
Cho MY1, Min ES, Hur MH, Lee MS.
Author information
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aromatherapy on the anxiety, sleep, and blood pressure (BP) of percutaneous coronary
intervention (PCI) patients in an intensive care unit (ICU). Fifty-six patients with PCI in ICU were evenly allocated to either the aromatherapy or
conventional nursing care. Aromatherapy essential oils were blended with lavender, roman chamomile, and neroli with a 6 : 2 : 0.5 ratio. Participants
received 10 times treatment before PCI, and the same essential oils were inhaled another 10 times after PCI. Outcome measures patients'
stateanxiety, sleeping quality, and BP. An aromatherapy group showed significantly low anxiety (t = 5.99, P < .001) and improving sleep quality (t =
-3.65, P = .001) compared with conventional nursing intervention. The systolic BP of both groups did not show a significant difference by time or in a
group-by-time interaction; however, a significant difference was observed between groups (F = 4.63, P = .036). The diastolic BP did not show any
significant difference by time or by a group-by-time interaction; however, a significant difference was observed between groups (F = 6.93, P = .011). In
conclusion, the aromatherapy effectively reduced the anxiety levels and increased the sleep quality of PCI patients admitted to the
ICU.Aromatherapy may be used as an independent nursing intervention for reducing the anxiety levels and improving the sleep quality of PCI patients.

Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2014 Jun;16(6):e18371. doi: 10.5812/ircmj.18371. Epub 2014 Jun 5.

Aromatherapy with citrus aurantium oil and anxiety during the

first stage of labor.
Namazi M1, Amir Ali Akbari S1, Mojab F2, Talebi A3, Alavi Majd H3, Jannesari S1.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Anxiety is the most common psychological response of women to labor. Aromatherapy, i.e. the use of fragrant essential oils to stimulate the olfactory
system, can create a state of calmness and help to alleviate anxiety.

OBJECTIVES:
The present study tried to determine the efficacy of aromatherapy with Citrus aurantium oil in reducing anxiety during the first stage of labor.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
This randomized clinical trial was conducted on two groups of pregnant women, referred to Vali-Asr Hospital (Tuyserkan, Iran) between June and
September 2013. The sample size was comprised of 63 subjects in each group. Gauzes impregnated with 4 mL of C. aurantium distillate and normal
saline were attached to the collar of subjects in the aromatherapy and control groups, respectively. The gauzes were changed every 30 minutes. The
levels of anxiety in both groups were measured at baseline and after the intervention at dilations of 3-4 and 6-8 cm. The participants were followed up
until delivery and the first- and fifth-minute Apgar scores were recorded. Data were collected using a demographic and obstetric characteristics
questionnaire, an examination and observation checklist, and Spielberger state-trait anxiety questionnaire. Data analysis was performed with
independent-t, Mann-Whitney, and chi-square tests in SPSS-22. P values less than 0.05 were considered significant.
RESULTS:
Before the intervention, both groups had same levels of anxiety. However, the levels of anxiety at dilations of 3-4 and 6-8 cm were significantly lower in
the aromatherapy group compared with the control group.
CONCLUSIONS:
The results of this study confirmed aromatherapy with C. aurantium blossom oil as a simple, inexpensive, noninvasive, and effective intervention to
reduce anxiety during labor.