title: The effect of environmental sound and communication on CCU patients' heart rate and blood pressure.
abstract: The effects of high ambient stressors (equipment sounds) and social stressors (conversation) on heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were examined in coronary care patients. Simultaneously occurring sound level in decibels, actual sound, electrocardiogram, and BP were recorded three times/day over 2 days for 20 subjects. Repeated measures ANOVA and pairwise comparisons revealed maximum HR to be significantly higher during conversation than during low ambient sounds (quiet). High ambient stressors did not affect HR for these subjects. BP did not significantly change during any of the sound conditions. Further research is needed to delineate cardiovascular effects of specific social stressors.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Garvin
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Polivka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D003142:Communication; D003325:Coronary Care Units; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control