The Effect of an Islamic Praise (Zikr) on Postoperative Anxiety of Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypasses Graft Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial on Iranian Shia Muslims

Background: Patients undergoing heart surgery experience different levels of anxiety that may affect their recovery. Objectives: As it is essential to use low-cost and non-invasive methods for these patients, wedecided to assess the effect of an Islamic praise (Zikr) on patients’ anxiety after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Methods: In this trial, 80 hospitalized patients, who underwent CABG surgery at Busheher Bentolhoda Hospital, Iran, were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 40) and control (n = 40) groups. We asked patients in the intervention group to recite Hazrate Zahra’s praises while they received routine care, and in the control group patients received only routine care. In both groups, anxiety was assessed at three consecutive days before and immediately after the intervention. Data was collected by demographic and clinical checklist and hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS). Results: There was no significant difference between patients’ anxiety of both groups before the intervention (P 0.05), while after the intervention a significant difference was seen in anxiety between patients, who had recited the praise and those who had not, on all three days (P 0.001). Also, in the intervention group, before and after the recitation, a significant difference was seen during three days (for three days P 0.001), but no significant difference was indicated before and after the intervention in the control group (P = 0.423, P = 0.541 and P = 0.621, respectively). Conclusions: Recitation of Hazrate Zahra’s praises was effective on patients’ anxiety reduction after CABG surgery among Shia Muslims.