The effectiveness of teaching a relaxation technique to patients undergoing elective cardiac catheterization.

The effects of a relaxation technique (RT) on anxiety, vital signs, procedure length, and amount of diazepam given were examined in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization (CC). Forty patients were randomly assigned to an experimental (RT) or a control (no RT) group. No significant differences were found between groups in pre-CC or post-CC State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores, vital signs, or procedure length. The experimental group received significantly less diazepam, and their STAI scores declined significantly.