Ali Bikmoradi

Effect of inhalation aromatherapy with lavender essential oil on stress and vital signs in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery: A single-blinded randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVES At present, aromatherapy is used widely in medical research. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inhalation aromatherapy using lavender essential oil to reduce mental stress and improve the vital signs of patients after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). DESIGN A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted with 60 patients who had undergone CABG in a 2-day intervention that targeted stress reduction. PARTICIPANTS Sixty subjects following coronary artery bypass surgery in two aromatherapy and control groups. SETTING The study was conducted in Ekbatan Therapeutic and Educational Center, Hamadan, Iran, in 2013. INTERVENTIONS On the second and third days after surgery, the aromatherapy group patients received two drops of 2% lavender essential oil for 20min and the control group received two drops of distilled water as a placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was mental stress, which was measured before and after the intervention using the DASS-21 questionnaire. The secondary outcomes were vital signs, including the heart rate, respiratory rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, which were measured before and after the intervention. RESULTS The individual characteristics of the aromatherapy and control groups were the same. There were no significant difference in the mean mental stress scores and vital signs of the aromatherapy and control groups on the second or third days after surgery. CONCLUSION Inhalation aromatherapy with lavender essential oil had no significant effects on mental stress and vital signs in patients following CABG, except the systolic blood pressure.

The effect of inhalation aromatherapy with damask rose (Rosa damascena) essence on the pain intensity after dressing in patients with burns: A clinical randomized trial

Background: Pain is one of the common problems encountered by patients with burns, which increases after each dressing. This study aimed to investigate the effect of inhalation aromatherapy with damask rose essence on the pain of patients with burns that is caused after dressing. Materials and Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 50 patients with second- and third-degree burn wounds. The baseline pain of the patients was assessed 30 min before they entered into the dressing room on the first and second days of intervention. The patients in the experimental group inhaled five drops of damask rose essence 40% in distilled water, while those in the control group inhaled five drops of distilled water as placebo. The pain intensity was assessed using Visual Analogue Scale at 15 and 30 min after the patients exited from the dressing room. Data were analyzed by SPSS (version 18) using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: There was significant difference between the mean of pain intensity before and after intervention at 15 and 30 min after dressing (P < 0.001). Moreover, there was significant difference in reduction of pain intensity before and after aromatherapy in the experimental group (P < 0.05). Also, there was a significant reduction in severity of pain after dressing in the experimental group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Inhalation aromatherapy with damask rose could be effective for relieving the pain caused after dressing in patients with burns. Therefore, it could be suggested as a complementary therapy in burn patients for pain relief.