From a study by Chan, MF:
OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to assess the effect of music on the physiologic and psychologic parameters in patients undergoing application of a C-clamp after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). DESIGN: A repeated-measures randomized controlled trial was used. SETTING: The study took place in three intensive care units in Hong Kong. PATIENTS: Sixty-six patients undergoing application of a C-clamp after PCI were recruited. OUTCOME MEASURES: Physiologic parameters were blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. Psychologic parameters were measured using the University of California at Los Angeles universal pain score. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized to receive 45 minutes of music therapy or 45 minutes of an uninterrupted rest period. Three types of music were used, including Chinese classical music, religious music, and Western classical music that had slow beats and was relaxing. The data were collected from September 2004 to December 2005. RESULTS: In the experimental group there were statistically significant reductions in heart rate (P < .001), respiratory rate (P < .001), and oxygen saturation (P < .001), and a lower pain score [emphases added] (P < .001) than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Music is a simple, safe, and effective method of reducing potentially harmful physiologic and psychologic responses arising from pain [emphasis added] in patients post-PCI undergoing a C-clamp procedure.
Readers of this blog will have already seen many of these types of studies: the value of posting these studies is in the amount of evidence; the universality of music as an effective intervention in a wide variety of procedures; and the universality of classical music as an effective intervention across cultures. Here a Chinese researcher has shown the effectiveness of classical music, classical Chinese music, and religious music as an intervention in a C-clamp procedure after coronary intervention. If you are preparing to undergo a painful procedure, it may be a wise idea to clear with the doctor and hospital the use of an mp3 player loaded with classical music, to help with pain, heart rate and blood pressure.