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.