Effect of Virtual Reality on Anxiety Levels in Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Various non-pharmacological methods, including virtual reality (VR), are presently employed as adjunctive tools in the management of anxiety. Anxiety and its related problems are prevalent among people with cardiovascular disease and can substantially affect heart function. This study aimed to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR) technology on post percutaneous coronary intervention anxiety. Method: Randomized clinical trial, Were simple randomly divided into 77 patients in control and 77 patients in intervention groups, admitting to the Karbala Center for Cardiac Disease and Surgery in Karbala city, Iraq, from September 16, 2024, to January 20, 2025. In the intervention group, a smoothing 3D videos are shown. Data were collected using a socio-demographic information sheet, and the visual analogue scale for Anxiety (VAS-A). Statistical analysis was performed using independent t-test, Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Mann Whitney U, and Kruskal Wallis H, and ANOVA with SPSS software version 27. Result: The majority of the participants were male 56.9% in the intervention group and female 54.2% in the control group. The (Mean ± SD) age of them in the intervention and control groups was (57.38 ± 6.514) and (60.53 ± 7.530) years, respectively. A significant difference (P<0.01) was noted for mean score of anxiety between intevention and control group, while the control group showed no significant differences (P>0.05). Conclusion: The virtual reality protocol-based distraction strategy dramatically reduces post-PCI anxiety levels. It is advised that simulation be used as a proactive strategy to reduce anxiety following PCI.