scholarly journals Effects of virtual reality v. biophilic environments on pain and distress in oncology patients: a case-crossover pilot study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Ashley Verzwyvelt ◽  
Ann McNamara ◽  
Xiaohui Xu ◽  
Renee Stubbins

AbstractThis pilot study aimed to determine if a biophilic Green Therapy or Virtual Reality environment can decrease an oncology patient’s pain and distress while receiving chemotherapy. A case-crossover pilot study was conducted in a comprehensive cancer infusion center. 33 participants with breast, gynecologic, gastrointestinal, pancreatic and prostate cancers were all included in three rooms in a random order at different cycles: control room, Green Therapy room, and Virtual Reality room to receive chemotherapy, respectively. Participants’ pain, distress, heart rate, blood pressure, and saliva cortisol were measured before and after infusion in each room. No statistical significance differences were shown in the changes of heart rate, systolic, or diastolic blood pressure, saliva cortisol, pain, or distress before and after infusion between the control, Green Therapy, and Virtual Reality rooms. However, more patients reported the experience as “fun” and “enjoyable” when they were in Green Therapy or Virtual reality room as compared to in the control room. Additionally, since participating in the study, 14 patients reported spending at least 30 min or more outside in nature. In this study, we found that patients’ heart rate, blood pressure, and self-reported distress levels were reduced after each biophilic intervention although results are not statistically significant. The study also suggested that biophilic interventions are safe and feasible and may complement the standard of care for oncology patients.

Author(s):  
Luiza Maciel

The relationship between active transportation and its role in health of population motivated the continuation of a pilot study evaluating the use of bicycles in a mountain town. The objective was to evaluate people over 30 years old, with different physical abilities, in a predefined route and check if the relief was impediment. The studied divided the riders into 2 groups: active and sedentary. It was performed a comparison of the physiological impact (heart rate, blood pressure) and a subjective perception (modified Borg's scale), ranking the degrees of difficulty during route stretches. The participants filled in a form before and after the course. Most sedentary participants, despite having greater difficulty and reaching higher heart rates on certain stretches, managed to make the trip. It suggests that the current technology of the bike allows people less physically conditioned to be able to use the bike in mountain cities.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/CIT2016.2016.2263


1961 ◽  
Vol 201 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noel M. Bass ◽  
Vincent V. Glaviano

Heart rate, mean blood pressure, adrenal blood flow, and adrenal plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline were compared before and after ligation of the anterior descending coronary artery in dogs anesthetized with chloralose. One group of 12 dogs responded to acute coronary occlusion with a sudden and marked decrease in mean blood pressure (mean, 31%) and heart rate (mean, 18%) followed by an early onset (mean, 227 sec) of ventricular fibrillation. Another group of nine dogs responded with slight decreases in mean blood pressure (mean, 13%) and heart rate (mean, 5%), during which time ventricular fibrillation occurred late (mean, 30 min) or not at all. While the two groups were statistically different in mean blood pressure and heart rate, the minute output of adrenal catecholamines in either group was not found to be related to the early or late occurrence of ventricular fibrillation.


1994 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 1391-1397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherman D. Vanderark ◽  
Daniel Ely

Physiological responses associated with the ratings of musical stimuli were investigated. For 101 university music and biology students in the experimental group, heart rate, blood pressure, and finger temperature were measured before and after listening to about 10 min. of music (Venus and Jupiter from Holst's The Planets) in an anechoic chamber. They also served as their own controls by sitting in silence for about 10 min. No significant differences were found on the three measures for the two musical stimuli between the musical or control conditions or between the two majors.


Author(s):  
Arundhati Goley ◽  
A. Mooventhan ◽  
NK. Manjunath

Abstract Background Hydrotherapeutic applications to the head and spine have shown to improve cardiovascular and autonomic functions. There is lack of study reporting the effect of either neutral spinal bath (NSB) or neutral spinal spray (NSS). Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effects of both NSB and NSS in healthy volunteers. Methods Thirty healthy subjects were recruited and randomized into either neutral spinal bath group (NSBG) or neutral spinal spray group (NSSG). A single session of NSB, NSS was given for 15 min to the NSBG and NSSG, respectively. Assessments were taken before and after the interventions. Results Results of this study showed a significant reduction in low-frequency (LF) to high-frequency (HF) (LF/HF) ratio of heart rate variability (HRV) spectrum in NSBG compared with NSSG (p=0.026). Within-group analysis of both NSBG and NSSG showed a significant increase in the mean of the intervals between adjacent QRS complexes or the instantaneous heart rate (HR) (RRI) (p=0.002; p=0.009, respectively), along with a significant reduction in HR (p=0.002; p=0.004, respectively). But, a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p=0.037) and pulse pressure (PP) (p=0.017) was observed in NSSG, while a significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p=0.008), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) (p=0.008) and LF/HF ratio (p=0.041) was observed in NSBG. Conclusion Results of the study suggest that 15 min of both NSB and NSS might be effective in reducing HR and improving HRV. However, NSS is particularly effective in reducing SBP and PP, while NSB is particularly effective in reducing DBP and MAP along with improving sympathovagal balance in healthy volunteers.


1981 ◽  
Vol 138 (3) ◽  
pp. 248-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Checkley ◽  
A. P. Slade ◽  
E. Shur ◽  
S. Dawling

SummaryTo test the hypothesis that desipramine alters α adrenoceptor function in depressed patients, the effects of clonidine upon growth hormone sedation and blood pressure have been measured in depressed patients before and after treatment with desipramine. After three weeks of treatment the hypotensive and sedative effects of clonidine were inhibited in all patients even though plasma desipramine concentrations at this time varied from 42 to 560 μg/l. Growth hormone responses to clonidine were enhanced in five of the six patients but this effect was not statistically significant. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that in these patients desipramine altered α adrenoceptor function: other explanations are discussed.


2022 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda P. Bolin ◽  
Amelia D. Saul ◽  
Lauren L. Bethune Scroggs ◽  
Carolyn Horne

Abstract Background Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death globally with hypertension being a primary cause of premature death from this disease process. Individuals with a family history of cardiovascular disease and hypertension are at a greater risk for developing the same sequela. Autonomic cardiac control is important in the level of cardiac function. One intervention that is effective in improving cardiovascular function is heart rate variability biofeedback training. The purpose of our study was to determine the effectiveness of heart rate biofeedback training on HRV and blood pressure in individuals with a family history of cardiovascular disease. Methods Thirty-four participants (76.5% female, 22.7 ± 4.3 years) completed a baseline assessment and training using an established short-term HRV protocol followed by two weeks of at-home paced breathing employing a smartphone application. The participants were then reassessed in a biofeedback clinic. Results The participants physiological measures showed a significant increase in means between pre and post intervention of SDNN (t (32) = 2.177, p =.037) and TP, (t (32) = 2.327 p = .026). Correlation noted a medium effect on diastolic blood pressure and high frequency heart rate variability, F, r = .41, n =33, p < .05. A multiple regression with all predictor variables in the model found no significance with diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Conclusions The findings from this pilot study demonstrated that a two-week paced breathing intervention may assist in reducing heart rate and diastolic blood pressure while improving heart rate variability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e316985536
Author(s):  
Jaqueline Oliveira Barreto ◽  
Julliana Cariry Palhano Freire ◽  
Arthur Willian de Lima Brasil ◽  
Cristian Statkievicz ◽  
Francisley Ávila Souza ◽  
...  

Objective: To assess dental anxiety in patients undergoing oral surgery, as well as its impact on blood pressure and heart rate. Material and Methods: A total of 233 patients answered a socio-demographic questionnaire and another one based on the Corah dental anxiety scale. Blood pressure and heart rate were assessed at three moments while: patients were in the waiting room, immediately before and after the procedure. Results: This study revealed a prevalence of anxiety of 77.3%. There was a statistically significant difference in mean systolic blood pressure and heart rate at the three moments of the evaluation. Anxiety was prevalent in the sample and was observed from the time in the waiting room until the time when local anesthesia was performed, causing variations in systolic blood pressure and heart rate, anxiety levels decreased after the end of the service. In conclusion, we observed that oral surgery is directly related to increased anxiety, and anxiety is mainly related to the change in heart rate.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianfeng Hua

Objective To investigate the effects of Shaolin Ba Duan Jin on patients with hypertension. Methods In the hypertensive patients detected in the national physical fitness test of public officials in Guiyang City, 40 patients with hypertension were selected. The experiment was started after Shaolin Ba Duan Jin has been practiced for seven days and the subjects had learned it. Experimental method: Frequency of subjects practicing Ba Duan Jin is 7 days a week, subjects practice once a day, practicing time is 6:00-7:30 am or 18:00 -19:30 pm, practicing lasts 1.5 hours each time (practicing has 3 groups, 14 minutes in each group;subjects rest 2 minutes between groups,;preparing part is 8 minutes;ending part is 5 minutes), record the blood pressure of the subjects before and after each experiment, and fill in the quality of life scale (WHOQOL-BREF scale) regularly for a period of 12 weeks. Questionnaire method: Fill in the quality of life scale every three weeks and measure heart rate and blood pressure before and after each exercise. Mathematical statistics: The paired sample t test was used to analyze the changes in blood pressure before and after the 12-week experiment. Results 1) The systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the subjects were significantly lower than before the experiment (P <0.01). 2) The WHOQOL-BREF scale after 12 weeks has improved significantly in all areas than before the experiment. Conclusions 1) Martial arts Ba Duan Jin has a good influence on the circulatory system of hypertensive patients. The performance is that the heart rate is slow and the systolic and diastolic blood pressures have a downward trend. 2) Martial arts Ba Duan Jin has significant improvement in the physiology, psychology, social relations, environment and other fields .


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