EFFECT OF ACTIVE CYCLE BREATHING VERSUS INCENTIVE SPIROMETRY ON DYSPNEA SEVERITY AMONG PATIENTS UNDERGOING CARDIAC SURGERIES

Abstract Background: Cardiac surgery is considered as a life-saving intervention that can resolve many cardiac problems. One of the most common problems encountered by patients undergoing cardiac surgeries is dyspnea. In order to improve dyspnea active cycle breathing technique and incentive spirometry have been used. Aim: To investigate the effect of active cycle breathing versus incentive spirometry on dyspnea severity among cardiac surgery patients. Design: Quasi-experimental pre-posttest nonequivalent control group design Sample: A convenient consecutive sample of 90 adult male and female patients who undergone cardiac surgeries were enrolled in the current study. Tools: Two tools were utilized to collect data: (a) Personal & Medical data Form and (b) Dyspnea Index Scale. Results: The results showed no statistically significant difference in dyspnea severity between the three studied groups at the pre-intervention assessment. On the other hand, there was a significant improvement in dyspnea among patients in the study groups who practiced either active cycle breathing, or incentive spirometry compared to the control group at the first and second post intervention assessment. Conclusion: The results of the current study concluded that the practice of both active cycle breathing and incentive spirometry induced significant improvement in dyspnea severity among patients after cardiac surgeries in comparison to control group, hence, it is recommended that implementation of these breathing exercise techniques should be endorsed as an integral part by nurses who play a key role in the management of patients with cardiac surgeries.