The Effect of Traditional Iranian Music on Anxiety and Physiological Parameters of Patients before Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG): A Randomized Controlled Trial

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a primary treatment for coronary artery occlusion. Anxiety is a common preoperative concern among patients undergoing this procedure. This study aimed to investigate the effect of listening to traditional Iranian music on anxiety in patients before CABG surgery.

This randomized controlled trial involved 66 patients scheduled for CABG surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to either the control or intervention group, with 33 patients in each group. The intervention group listened to traditional music on an MP3 player for 20 minutes, while the control group received an MP3 player without music. Anxiety levels were measured using the Spielberger Anxiety Questionnaire before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the Student’s t-test, the paired t-test, and the Mann-Whitney U-test with SPSS software version 21.

There was no significant difference in anxiety severity between the 2 groups before the intervention (music group: 106.45±10.67 and control group: 116.36±9.78; P=0.798). However, after the intervention, there was a significant difference between the groups (music group: 65.82±7.54 vs control group: 113.72±13.04; P=0.001). There were no significant differences in physiological parameters (blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate) between the groups before the intervention (P<0.078). Following the intervention, systolic (P<0.013) and diastolic (P<0.003) blood pressure significantly decreased in the intervention group compared with the control group.

Traditional Iranian music therapy can be a noninvasive, low-cost, and accessible tool to reduce anxiety in patients undergoing CABG surgery.