Preprocedural concerns and anxiety assessment in patients undergoing coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions

Background: Patients with anxiety prior to coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), may have negative physical and psychological consequences. Aim: To identify patients factors associated with anxiety and assess the validity of the Faces Anxiety Scale (FAS) in this sample. Methods: Patients (n = 159) were surveyed preprocedure using the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) and the FAS and asked to identify their major concern. Results: The sample was aged an average 66.73 years (sd 10.12) and predominantly male (72%). Anxiety was low to moderate (SAI mean 36.44, sd 11.23; FAS median 2, range 1-5). There was a moderate correlation between the SAI and the FAS (r = .521, p = < .001), with the FAS having low sensitivity (27%) and high specificity (95%). Patients' most common concern (37%) was uncertainty about the outcome from the procedure. Predictors of higher anxiety were taking medication for anxiety or depression (ß = 5.84), experiencing angina (ß = 4.96) or having a major concern about the procedural outcome (ß = 4.00). Conclusions: Many patients have moderate anxiety before coronary angiography and PCI; therefore, routine assessment and management of anxiety are justified. The FAS is not as useful as the SAI for this purpose. © 2009 European Society of Cardiology