[Assessment the synergism effect of acupoints on preoperative anxiety]

To assess the effectiveness of acupressure [acupuncture without needle] and synergism of acupoints in reducing and maintaining patient's anxiety before abdominal surgeries. Participants in this randomized controlled trial were 70 patients who were scheduled to undergo abdominal surgery. Patients were randomized to an acupressure group or a placebo group, received acupressure either at the right points or at sham points for 10 mins. Anxiety [recorded on a Visual Analog Scale [0-10]] measured before, following pressure application and 30 minutes after intervention in both groups. The anxiety decreased in both group following pressure application for 10 min [P<0.001], but these effect sustained 30 mins after intervention only in acupressure group [P<0.001] not in placebo group. Comparison anxiety in following pressure application and 30 mins after intervention between groups was significant. Acupressure at the Yintang and Shen men points can decrease the anxiety level in patients before abdominal surgeries and sustained lower for 30 mins

Effect of acupressure on patients' anxiety and vital sign before abdominal surgeries

Anxiety is one of the emotional conditions among patients scheduled for surgery that can result in increasing postoperative pain, increasing analgesic and anesthetic requirements and prolonging hospital stay. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of acupressure [acupuncture without needle] in reducing patients' anxiety before abdominal surgeries. In this randomized, blinded, sham controlled trial, 70 patients who were scheduled to undergo abdominal surgery in Tehran University of Medical Sciences' hospitals were selected using convenience sampling method. The patients were randomized to an acupressure group [n=35] or a placebo group [n=35], receiving acupressure either at the right points [Yintang and Shen men] in acupressure group or at sham points in the placebo group for 10 min. Anxiety was recorded on a Visual Analog Scale [0-10]. Vital signs were measured before and after pressure application in both groups. The anxiety was decreased in both groups following pressure application for 10 min [P<0.001]. The amount of anxiety was significantly different between the groups [P<0.001]. The heart rate, respiratory rate, and diastole/systole pressure [P<0.001] were decreased in the case group. Only heart rate [P=0.016] and respiratory rate [P=0.007] were decreased in the placebo group. Changes in respiratory rate and systole pressure following pressure application were statistically significant between two groups. Acupressure at the right points can decrease anxiety before abdominal surgeries but it has no clinical effect on vital signs