Nurse‐led psychological intervention reduces anxiety symptoms and improves quality of life following percutaneous coronary intervention for stable coronary artery disease

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of nurse‐led counselling on the anxiety symptoms and the quality of life following percutaneous coronary intervention for stable coronary artery disease. DESIGN: Randomised control trial. SETTING: Rural and remote China. PARTICIPANTS: Rural and remote patients were consecutively recruited from a medical centre located in China between January and December 2014. INTERVENTIONS: The control group received standard pre‐procedure information from a ward nurse on the processes of the hospitalisation and percutaneous coronary intervention, and post‐procedural care. The intervention group received a structured 30‐minute counselling session the day before and 24 hours after the percutaneous coronary intervention, by nurse consultants with qualifications in psychological therapies and counselling. The health outcomes were assessed by a SF‐12 scale and the Seattle Angina Questionnaire at 6 and 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention. The anxiety and depression symptoms were evaluated by a Zung anxiety and depression questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cardiac outcomes, quality of life and mental health status. RESULTS: Eighty patients were randomly divided into control (n = 40) and intervention groups (n = 40). There was a significant increase in the scores of the three domains of Seattle Angina Questionnaire 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention in the intervention group (P < .01). The mental health and physical health scores also increased (P < .01). In the control group, the mean scores of Zung self‐rating anxiety scale 12 months following percutaneous coronary intervention were higher than the baseline scores, and higher than in the intervention group (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Counselling by a clinician qualified in psychological therapies and counselling significantly reduces anxiety symptoms and improves quality of life.