The Effect of Acu-TENS on Recovery after Heart Surgery
Author Information
Author(s): Maggie C. S. Ng, Alice Y. M. Jones, L. C. Cheng
Primary Institution: Grantham Hospital, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hypothesis
Does Acu-TENS improve hemodynamic recovery and reduce nausea after open-heart surgery?
Conclusion
Acu-TENS helps patients recover their heart rate and blood pressure faster after heart surgery and reduces nausea.
Supporting Evidence
- Acu-TENS group showed a trend of decreasing heart rate and increasing blood pressure over five postoperative days.
- Patients in the Acu-TENS group returned to preoperative heart rate and blood pressure levels by Day 4.
- The Acu-TENS group required less antiemetic medication compared to the other groups.
Takeaway
Acu-TENS is a treatment that uses electrical stimulation to help patients feel better after heart surgery by making their heart rate and blood pressure return to normal more quickly.
Methodology
The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with patients receiving either Acu-TENS or Placebo-TENS after surgery.
Limitations
The small number of patients experiencing nausea limited the statistical analysis power.
Participant Demographics
Patients who underwent elective open cardiac surgery, aged around 54 years, with a mix of genders.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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