Effects of relaxation and music therapy on patients in a coronary care unit with presumptive acute myocardial infarction.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether relaxation and music therapy were effective in reducing stress in patients in a coronary care unit admitted with the presumptive diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. In this experimental study, 80 patients were randomly assigned to a relaxation, music therapy, or control group. The relaxation and music therapy groups participated in three sessions over a two-day period. Stress was evaluated by apical heart rates, peripheral temperatures, cardiac complications, and qualitative patient evaluative data. Data analysis revealed that lowering apical heart rates and raising peripheral temperatures were more successful in the relaxation and music therapy groups than in the control group. The incidence of cardiac complications was found to be lower in the intervention groups, and most intervention subjects believed that such therapy was helpful. Both relaxation and music therapy are effective modalities to reduce stress in these patients.