title: Premedication and preoperative information reduces pain intensity and increases satisfaction in patients undergoing ablation for atrial fibrillation. A randomised controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pain and discomfort are common during radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare and evaluate the effect of premedication, standardised preoperative information and preoperative anxiety on pain intensity, drug consumption and patients' satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preoperative anxiety at baseline, pain intensity during RFA, and patient satisfaction after the procedure were measured in 3 random groups. Group A (n=20) received standard pain management, group B (n=20) received premedication and group C (n=20) received premedication and standardised preoperative information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in groups B and C experienced less pain intensity (p<0.001) and needed fewer anxiolytics (p=0.023) and analgesics (p=0.031) compared to group A. Patient satisfaction was higher in group C (p=0.005) compared to group A. Increased preoperative anxiety is related to elevated drug demand (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Premedication alone or combined with preoperative information reduces and higher preoperative anxiety increases pain intensity and drug consumption during RFA. Preoperative information improves patient satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Institute of Nursing, Bergen University College, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: mawahib.tahir.al-azawy@helsebergen.no.
authors.forename: Mawahib
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Azawy
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Institute of Nursing, Bergen University College, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, Institute of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: kjersti.oterhals@helse-bergen.no.
authors.forename: Kjersti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oterhals
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nursing, Bergen University College, Bergen, Norway; School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden. Electronic address: Bengt.Fridlund@hhj.hj.se.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fridlund
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: jorg.assmus@helse-bergen.no.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aßmus
authors.affiliation: Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, Institute of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: peter.moritz.schuster@helse-bergen.no.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schuster
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011292:Premedication; D011300:Preoperative Care
keywords: Anxiety; Atrial fibrillation; Catheter ablation; Nursing intervention; Pain management; Patient satisfaction