The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aromatherapy on the anxiety, sleep, and blood pressure (BP) of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients in an intensive care unit (ICU). Fifty-six patients with PCI in ICU were evenly allocated to either the aromatherapy or conventional nursing care. Aromatherapy essential oils were blended with lavender, roman chamomile, and neroli with a 6 : 2 : 0.5 ratio. Participants received 10 times treatment before PCI, and the same essential oils were inhaled another 10 times after PCI. Outcome measures patients' state anxiety, sleeping quality, and BP. An aromatherapy group showed significantly low anxiety (t=5.99,P<.001) and improving sleep quality (t=−3.65,P=.001) compared with conventional nursing intervention. The systolic BP of both groups did not show a significant difference by time or in a group-by-time interaction; however, a significant difference was observed between groups (F=4.63,P=.036). The diastolic BP did not show any significant difference by time or by a group-by-time interaction; however, a significant difference was observed between groups (F=6.93,P=.011). In conclusion, the aromatherapy effectively reduced the anxiety levels and increased the sleep quality of PCI patients admitted to the ICU. Aromatherapy may be used as an independent nursing intervention for reducing the anxiety levels and improving the sleep quality of PCI patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of aroma massage applied to middle-aged women with hypertension. The research study had a nonequivalent control group, nonsynchronized design to investigate the effect on home blood pressure (BP), ambulatory BP, and sleep. The hypertensive patients were allocated into the aroma massage group (n=28), the placebo group (n=28), and the no-treatment control group (n=27). To evaluate the effects of aroma massage, the experimental group received a massage with essential oils prescribed by an aromatherapist once a week and body cream once a day. The placebo group received a massage using artificial fragrance oil once a week and body cream once a day. BP, pulse rate, sleep conditions, and 24-hour ambulatory BP were monitored before and after the experiment. There was a significant difference in home systolic blood pressure (SBP) (F=6.71,P=0.002) between groups after intervention. There was also a significant difference in SBP (F=13.34,P=0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (F=8.46,P=0.005) in the laboratory between aroma massage and placebo groups. In sleep quality, there was a significant difference between groups (F=6.75,P=0.002). In conclusion, aroma massage may help improve patient quality of life and maintain health as a nursing intervention in daily life.

Background. Stress has both physiological and psychological effects and can negatively impact patients’ treatment and recovery. We examined whether the aromatherapy alleviated patients’ stress and improved their sleep quality and provided data that can be utilized in clinical settings. Methods. This was a nonrandomised controlled experimental study. Participants included lucid adult patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit and had spent more than two nights there. The experimental treatment required participants to engage in deep breathing with essential oils as part of the aromatherapy. The control group was instructed to go to sleep without receiving the lavender aroma oil. Results. The experimental group and control group showed a significant difference in perceived stress (F = 60.11, p < .001), objective stress index (F = 25.65, p < .001), systolic blood pressure (F = 9.09, p < .001), diastolic blood pressure (F = 2.47, p = .046), heart rate (F = 5.71, p < .001), and sleep quality (F = 109.46, p < .001). Conclusions. The results revealed that aromatherapy alleviated stress and improved sleep quality in intensive care unit patients after 2 days of the experimental treatment. These results demonstrate that aromatherapy affects stress and sleep quality, thus indicating its value in nursing interventions. This trial is registered with KCT0002344.

As the incidence and prevalence of diabetes increases, intervention through dietary education is becoming more important for diabetes control. This systematic review examines the evidence for the efficacy of dietary education interventions on diabetes control. The study subjects were patients with type 2 diabetes, and the main outcome variable was glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c). The target studies were randomized controlled trials. Thirty-six studies were included in the analysis, of which 33 were included in the meta-analysis. The effect size between dietary education and general interventions was −0.42 (n = 5639, MD = −0.42; 95% CI −0.53 to −0.31) and was significantly different (Z = 7.73, p < 0.001). When subgroup analyses were performed following the application periods, intervention methods, and intervention contents, the mean differences in 4–6-month application, individual education, and diet-exercise-psychosocial intervention were −0.51, (n = 2742, 95% CI −0.71 to −0.32), −0.63 (n = 627, 95% CI −1.00 to −0.26), and −0.51 (n = 3244, 95% CI −0.71 to −0.32), respectively. Dietary education interventions provided for at least 3 months were highly effective in controlling HbA1c levels. Regarding the education method, individualized education was more effective, and contact or non-contact education may be applied for this. Combining diet, exercise, and psychosocial intervention is more effective than diet education alone.

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of essential oil inhalation on the 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and salivary cortisol level in 83 prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects. The experimental group (n=28) was asked to inhale an essential oil blended with lavender, ylang-ylang, marjoram, and neroli (20 : 15 : 10 : 2), whereas the placebo group (n=27) was asked to inhale an artificial fragrance for 24 hours and the control group received no treatment (n=28). The SBP (P<.001) and DBP (P=.009) measured at home in the experimental group were significantly decreased compared with the placebo group and the control group after treatment. The daytime SBP during the 24-hour ambulatory BP measurement of the experimental group presented with significant decreases in comparison with the measurements of the placebo group and the control group (P<.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the nighttime SBPs. The daytime DBPs during the 24-hour ambulatory BP measurements of the experimental group presented with significant decreases in comparison with the measurements of the placebo group and the control group (P=.002). There was no significant difference in the night time DBPs. The experimental group showed significant decreases in the concentration of salivary cortisol in comparison with the concentrations of the placebo group and the control group (P=.012). In conclusion, the inhalation of an essential oil had immediate and continuous effects on the home SBP, daytime BP, and the stress reduction. Essential oils may have relaxation effects for controlling hypertension.