Anxiety and Physiological Responses in Patients with First Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

—Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in many countries. MI in patients tends to be followed by anxiety that may contribute to developing complications. The first experience of MI was found as one factor that influences anxiety in patients. Severe and untreated anxiety has negative impacts on physiological responses as a rapid response to an infarction. Moreover, the assessment and treatment of anxiety in hospitals are commonly less undervalued. The purpose of this study was to examine the anxiety levels and physiological responses among first MI patients. This study was a descriptive study with 60 first MI patients who were admitted to ICCU of Sanglah Hospital, Bali, Indonesia. Subjects were asked to complete the anxiety instrument using the 6-item State Anxiety Inventory and Trait Anxiety Inventory. Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate were assessed as clinical physiological responses of anxiety. The results revealed that more than half of the subjects were found to have moderate state anxiety (53.3%) and 48.3% showed moderate trait anxiety. 35% of patients in their first experience of MI showed a high level of state anxiety. Also, there was a statistically significant correlation between physiological responses and anxiety, however, not in systolic blood pressure. A significant number of patients with first MI were assessed as having high and moderate levels of anxiety. Thus, these results might be taken as evidence to early evaluate the anxiety of MI patients to prevent further complications.