Patients' experiences of cardiology procedures using minimal conscious sedation.
OBJECTIVE
The study's purpose was to describe patients' experiences of minimal conscious sedation during diagnostic and interventional cardiology procedures.


METHODS
Over a 6-week period, 119 consecutive patients (10% of annual throughput) from a major metropolitan hospital in Melbourne, Australia, were interviewed using a modified version of the American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire. Patients identified pain severity using a 10-point visual analogue scale and rated their overall comfort on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from very comfortable to very uncomfortable.


RESULTS
Patients were aged 67.6 years (standard deviation 11.1), 70.8% were male, and the mean body mass index was 27.7 (standard deviation 4.8). Patients underwent diagnostic coronary angiography (67.5%), percutaneous coronary interventions (13.3%), or combined procedures (19.2%). Most patients (65%) were comfortable in the context of low-dose conscious sedation. Slight discomfort was reported by 26% of patients; 9% reported feeling uncomfortable primarily as a result of a combination of musculoskeletal pain, angina, and vasovagal symptoms experienced during the procedure. There was significant correlation (rho = .25, P = .01) between procedure length and patients' report of overall comfort, suggesting longer procedures were less comfortable for patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The minimal sedation protocol was effective for the majority of patients; however, 9% of patients experienced significant discomfort related to preexisting conditions, highlighting the need for individual patient assessment before, during, and after the procedure.
Beddoes
Lenore
L
Deakin University School of Nursing, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Botti
Mari
M
Duke
Maxine M
MM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D003975:Diazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D003975:Diazepam