Perioperatively:
Updike and Charles (1987) showed decreases in systolic and diastolic blood
pressures and heart rate and subjective reports of feeling calmer and more
relaxed after listening to 30 minutes of music in patients awaiting plastic
surgery procedures. This study had a small sample size.
Mullooly, Levin, Feldman (1988) reported that in women post total abdominal
hysterectomy who listened to 10 minutes of easy-listening instrumental
music in the PACU had decreased pain and anxiety levels compared to those who
did not.
Mandle et al (1990) showed that relaxation tapes were more effective than
music tapes in decreasing anxiety and pain in patients undergoing angiography
and relaxation tapes reduced the amount of fentanyl citrate and diazepam
required.
Heitz, Symreng, Scamman (1992) reported that patients who listened to music
in the PACU waited a significantly longer time before requiring pain medication
than those who did not, although pain levels, hemodynamic values, morphine
sulfate requirements, respiratory rates, and lengths of stays were not
significantly different.
Winter, Paskin, and Baker (1994) studied music’s effect on anxiety using
the Spielberger’s State Anxiety Inventory and showed that patients listening
to music had a lower anxiety level than patients who did not, although there
were no differences in blood pressure, heart rate, or duration of stay in the
Surgical Holding Area.
Dubois, Bartter, Pratter (1995) showed that in patients undergoing
bronchoscopy, patients who listened to music reported greater comfort levels and
less coughing than those who did not, although no physiologic differences were
noted.
Barnason S, Aimmerman L, and Nieveen J (1995) showed an improvement in mood
in patients who had music therapy early preoperatively compared to those who had
music-video therapy or scheduled rest. Anxiety was similar in all three
groups. All three interventions resulted in a relaxation response, with
decreased heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
Reilly (1996) reported that in a group of elderly patients who listened to
music intraoperatively, pain was subjectively lowered as well as serum cortisol
(4.35 lower than control).
Burke (1997) found a 21 % decrease in overall tension in patients who
listened to music prior to knee replacement surgery, versus a 5 % increase in
those who did not. The music therapy patients after surgery used less
analgesics and had a shorter stay in the hospital (5.15 versus 5.65 days).
There are many other studies on pain and anxiety and the use of music
perioperatively, with the majority indicating that music has an anxiolytic and
analgesic effect although there are many variables in these studies, such
as music selection, self-selected versus researcher selected music, live
versus recorded music, many different outcome variables, such as relief of anxiety,
pain, or stress. Music, along with
relaxation has been recommended by the Agency for Health Care Policy and
Research for use in moderate postoperative pain in addition to opioid medications. |