AROMATHERAPY IN INTENSIVE CARE HEART PATIENTS

According to the data of the World Health Organization, coronary artery disease is the most common disease in the world.
heart disease is a serious public health problem. Prevalence in our country
This disease, which is increasing gradually, causes complications in the vessels feeding the heart and causes sudden
can result in death. According to the latest statistics, 2 million patients with coronary artery disease in Turkey
exists.
Sleep is one of the vital activities required to maintain one's mental and physical health.
is one. Patients hospitalized in intensive care units, especially chronic patients,
They experience sleep disturbance due to various reasons. Pain caused by the disease, drug treatments,
various factors such as nursing interventions, loss of privacy, fear of death
It can prevent them from falling asleep and having uninterrupted sleep. These patients have
sleep is therapeutic because they are awake for much longer than necessary
cannot benefit from its effects. As a result, their immune systems
process, cognitive activities and stress levels are negatively affected, and they are ahead of the treatment processes.
poses a serious obstacle. Sleep disorders and anxiety of patients with increased anxiety levels
mutually feeding each other, dragging the patient into a dead end. sleep disorders, blood
It is associated with an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, which makes it more common for patients with coronary artery disease.
may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular problems. So it's especially about the heart
avoiding sleep problems as much as possible in patients with
Improving their quality is very important.
Drugs used in the elimination of sleep disorders have side effects that are difficult to return, such as addiction.
It is stated that it causes effects and does not provide enough sleep. Therefore
In order to prevent this problem, researchers have high reliability and less side effects.
They are working on approaches. One of them is administered by inhalation.
is aromatherapy. One of the most widely used aroma plants in aromatherapy is lavender.
Lavender is the least toxic and allergenic of essential oils. Also relaxing, soothing
It has a positive effect on sleep quality due to its muscle relaxant effects. main of lavender
One of its components is "linalyl acetate", thanks to this component, lavender has narcotic effects.
Although studies of aromatherapy treatment with lavender are carried out in various parts of the world,
Insufficient research on this subject in Turkey Dokuz Eylül and Gaziantep
It prompted researchers at the University. Coronary intensive of lavender essential oil
the sleep quality and anxiety levels of the patients hospitalized in the care unit.
began to examine its effect.
Participants, Gaziantep University Şahinbey Research Hospital Coronary Intensive Care
It consisted of patients hospitalized in the unit. Sleep before aromatherapy sessions
and data were collected with scales that determine anxiety levels. After 15 days of work
all scales were repeated for all participants. In addition, patients were divided into two groups and
While lavender essential oil was inhaled, no aromatherapy was applied to the other group.
Thus, a control group was formed. Analysis of all data with computer programs
was performed, and the obtained findings confirmed the results of previous studies.
There is a significant improvement in the sleep duration and quality of patients who receive aromatherapy sessions.
was the subject. In addition, the analyzes showed that the anxiety level of the aromatherapy intervention group gradually increased.
decreased, the anxiety level of the control group gradually increased as predicted.
was showing. Anxiety affects both the patient's well-being and sleep disturbance.
These results were promising for patients. Researchers, lavender essential
non-invasive, inexpensive, easily applicable, cost-effective, independent nursing
This method can be applied in intensive care units in terms of intervention.
but they also underline that more studies should be done in Turkey!

SOURCE
Nursing in Critical Care- Effects of aromatherapy on sleep quality and anxiety of patients