Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupressure on anxiety and pain of patients undergoing coronary angiography procedures. This study was conducted in a cardiology clinic of the training and research hospital in of a province of southeast Turkey. A randomized control group design was used. Eighty patients who were undergoing coronary angiography were randomly enrolled in intervention and control groups. The intervention protocol included 11 minutes of acupressure that applied to Hegu, Shenmen, and Yintang acupoints. No intervention was applied to the control group. Spielberger's state-trait anxiety inventory and the visual analog scale were used as data-collecting tools. Data were analyzed using t test in independent groups and [chi]2 test. The mean score of state anxiety of the intervention group was 41.50 +/- 3.88, and was statistically significantly lower than the score of the control group after acupressure (P = .000). VASP2 and VASP3 pain intensity of the intervention group was statistically significantly lower than that of the control group after the coronary angiography procedure (P = .000). Acupressure is an effective technique for reducing the pain severity and anxiety among patients undergoing coronary angiography.