title: Effect of inhalation aromatherapy with lavender essential oil on stress and vital signs in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery: A single-blinded randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  At present, aromatherapy is used widely in medical research. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inhalation aromatherapy using lavender essential oil to reduce mental stress and improve the vital signs of patients after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG).
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted with 60 patients who had undergone CABG in a 2-day intervention that targeted stress reduction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty subjects following coronary artery bypass surgery in two aromatherapy and control groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in Ekbatan Therapeutic and Educational Center, Hamadan, Iran, in 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  On the second and third days after surgery, the aromatherapy group patients received two drops of 2% lavender essential oil for 20min and the control group received two drops of distilled water as a placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome was mental stress, which was measured before and after the intervention using the DASS-21 questionnaire. The secondary outcomes were vital signs, including the heart rate, respiratory rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, which were measured before and after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The individual characteristics of the aromatherapy and control groups were the same. There were no significant difference in the mean mental stress scores and vital signs of the aromatherapy and control groups on the second or third days after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inhalation aromatherapy with lavender essential oil had no significant effects on mental stress and vital signs in patients following CABG, except the systolic blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Chronic Diseases (Home Care) Research Center of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. Electronic address: bikmoradi@umsha.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bikmoradi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. Electronic address: zahra.seife@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Seifi
authors.affiliation: Modeling of Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. Electronic address: poorolajal@umsha.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poorolajal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. Electronic address: araghchian@umsha.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Malihe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Araghchian
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Surgery, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. Electronic address: R.safiarian@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Safiaryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. Electronic address: oshvandi@umsha.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Khodayar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oshvandi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019341:Aromatherapy; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D027523:Lavandula; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; C045718:lavender oil
keywords: Aromatherapy; Coronary artery bypass; Lavender; Mental stress; Vital signs