One hundred Mayo Clinic patients participated in the study, either experiencing virtual reality through a tablet or immersive goggles. Overall, anxiety scores decreased 2 points on average in the tablet group and 2.9 points in the goggle group, according to a Feb. 12 news release from Mayo Clinic.
To assess anxiety, researchers had patients wear a monitor to record vital signs and complete a standardized anxiety test before and after experiencing virtual reality. While both modalities reduced the pulse rate of participants, neither had an effect on respiration rates or oxygen levels, the release said.
“We currently offer music and massage therapy after cardiac surgery because we know what a negative impact high anxiety has on recovery from surgery,” Joseph Dearani, MD, and John Stulak, MD, cardiac surgeons at Mayo Clinic, said in the release. “Our team is now exploring broader implementation of VR — which can be used at any time and place, inside or outside the hospital — throughout the surgical episode to further evaluate its impact on clinical outcomes.”
Read the full study here.
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