Abstract

Inadequate sleep quality is one of the most common problems in patients admitted to Cardiac care units (CCUs). Therefore, this research aimed to investigate with the effect of lavender essential oil in sleep quality in candidates for angiography who were hospitalized in an CCU in Iran. This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 60 patients undergoing angiography who were hospitalized in the CCU of a hospital in Ilam City, Iran. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to either a case group or a control group (each group, n = 30). Data were collected using the St. Mary's Hospital Sleep Questionnaire, which was completed before and after the intervention. The case group received 15 drops of lavender essential oil 24 hours prior to angiography and every 8 hours thereafter; the control group received its previous routine care. After the intervention, the data were analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistical tests using SPSS statistical software v19. The demographic characteristics of the case and control groups were similar (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference before the intervention in sleep quality between the case group and the control group (P>0.05). Additionally, no statistically significant difference was observed in the case or the control group with respect to sleep quality before and after the intervention (P>0.05). Due to the lack of effect shown by lavender essential oil in sleep quality, further studies should be conducted to the effects of lavender and other essential oils.