INTRODUCTION

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the world (American Heart Association, 2004). This trend has been predicted to continue until 2020 (WHO, 2005). In 2002, CHD caused 16.5 million deaths in the world and estimated to increase by 25 million annually (WHO, 2005). CHD is also the most common death in Malaysia and is a significant cause of disability among both men and women (Ministry of Health, 1998). It manifested as angina, silent ischemia, unstable angina, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, heart failure and sudden death. Patients presenting with chest pain may be identified as having definite or possible angina from their history alone (Grech, 2004).

Several studies have proven psychosocial factors attribute and link to the increment of CHD risks (Donald, 2001). The coping mechanism of adaptation to anxiety and depression among CHD varies (Kulik & Mahler, 1993). An increase in anxiety among the CHD patients would augment the level of stress and this extreme stress level would then aggravate depression (Thompson & Webster, 2004). The normal physiological responses to stress are related to an elevation of the heart rate, altered tissue perfusion, hypoxia and electrolyte imbalance. These physiological changes would increase demand for oxygen consumption which leads to ischemic chest pain, arrhythmia or sudden death among CHD patients (Cruickshank, Bradburg, & Ashurst, 2000). According to Heikkla, Paunonen, Virtanen, & Laippala, (1998), PCI is a common invasive diagnostic investigation that could result in high levels of stress among CHD patients.

PCI was introduced in 1959 and it was considered as the gold standard for defining the anatomy of the main coronary arteries (Jowet & Thompson, 2003). The only absolute way to evaluate an individual’s cardiac status for CHD is to perform a PCI and to monitor the haemodynamic status.  PCI can be safely performed as a day case procedure.  The procedure takes about half an hour and is performed under local anesthesia (www.ijn.com).

Anxiety is defined as “the feeling of being very worried about something that may happen or may have happened, so that you think about it all time” (www.longman.com/dictionaries). A per-son is conscious of the unpleasant emo-tional state of threat or danger which can affect one’s behavior and physiological system (Leonard & John, 2004). Several studies exploring the state of mind of PCI patients have been reported (Peterson 1991, Davis et al. 1994). There have been reports that PCI is a stressful and fearful procedure which could aggravate high levels of anxiety before and after the procedure. Finesilver (1980) reported that unrelieved anxiety usually increases the stimulation of sympathetic nervous system which lead to increment in cardiac workload. Increased sympathetic arousal has been reported to activate the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death (Leonard et al., 2004).

Depression is a normal phenomena expressed by the CHD patients, particularly if anxiety level is unrelieved and undetected (Lane and Mahler 2002, Jowett et al. 2003). Depression is defined as “feeling of sadness that makes you think there is no hope for the future” (www.longman.com/dictionaries).

Depression is expressed by a spectrum of mood disturbance ranging from mild to severe. The two cardinal symptoms are persistently pervasive, low mood and loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities (Leonard et al., 2004).

However, Marmot & Stephen (2002) reported depressive illness and symptoms could have contributed to higher and stronger evidence for depression among CHD patients. It acts as an antecedent for CHD patients too. In addition, disability due to poor quality of life and depression are associated with higher healthcare costs. Hence, CHD patients may encounter increasing high risk of re-infarction, re-hospitalization, morbidity and mortality (Leonard et al., 2004).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This research study is a cross sectional study conducted in three cardiology wards of the National Heart Institute (NHI) from January to March 2006. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of anxiety and depression in patients before and after PCI. Primary data was collected using fully structured ques-tionnaires of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) adopted from Zigmond and Snaith (1983).  HADS, is a 14-item questionnaire with fixed response statements (weight 0-3 for each item) divided into two separate sub-scales. The first sub-scales comprised of seven items to measure depression (HADS –D) and another 7 items to measure anxiety level (HADS- A).  A score  greater than 10 points  equates to high significantly  anxiety or depression level, 8-10 points is considered as moderate borderline and less than 8 points as low level. The same HADS questionnaires were used before and after PCI.

Probability sampling method was used, whereby all patients at NHI who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited for this study. Sample size was calculated using the INFOPAC programme. 61 respondents participated in this study. The response rate was 100%. The inclusion criteria were patients who were scheduled for PCI (with or without angioplasty) and were able to understand Malay or English or both. The exclusion criteria includes critically ill patients (from coronary care unit), repeated angiogram due to complications after procedure such as pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade and psychiatric pa-tients. There were two sets of question-naires; section A consisted of 14 items to measure anxiety and depression level HADS-D and HADS-A. Questionnaires were translated and back translated (English and Bahasa Malaysia). Section B consisted of 11 items on socio demo-graphic data of respondents using nominal and ratio scale. A similar set of question-naires were given to the patients before and after PCI.

Approval from the ethics committee (project code: FF-200-2005) of Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and permission from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NHI were obtained prior to commencement of the study. Socio demographic data were analyzed using the descriptive statistical analysis such as frequency and per-centages. The Pearson correlation-co-efficient test was used to determine the association between socio demographic data and anxiety and depression among PCI patients. One wayANOVA and t-test were also used to identify the relationship of respondents’ socio demography with anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Respondents before and after PCI anxiety levels

Before PCI, 12 respondents (19.7%) reported the highest level of anxiety and reduction to 9 respondents (14.8%) after PCI. It was found that moderate level of anxiety were 9 (14.8%) respondents before PCI whereas there was an increase to 14 respondents (23%) after PCI respectively. More than half of the respondents showed low levels of anxiety, 40 respondents (65.6%) before PCI with reduction to 38 respondents (62.3%) after PCI.

Respondents before and after PCI depression levels

Respondents before and after PCI depression levels were identified. There were seven respondents (11.5%) reported with high depression level before PCI which was reduced to one respondent (1.7%) after PCI respectively. Before PCI, seven respondents (11.5%) reported to have experienced moderate depression level with a slight increase to two respondents (3.3%) after PCI. The lowest level of depression scored the highest with 47 respondents (77%) before PCI and one respondent (1.7%) after PCI respondents.

Respondents before and after PCI anxiety and depression levels.

There was a strong  positive correlation between respondents before and after PCI anxiety levels (r =0.567, p value < 0.05) and before and after PCI depression levels (r=0.526, p values < 0.05).

Respondents’ socio demographic data, before and after PCI with anxiety levels.

Respondents’ socio demographic data, before and after PCI with anxiety and depression levels were analyzed descriptively for frequency. The relationship between socio demographic data, before and after PCI anxiety and depression levels was analyzed using independent t-test and one way ANOVA.  There were insignificant differences between respondents’ socio demographic data in relation with before and after PCI anxiety and depression levels.

DISCUSSION

The majority of respondents (before and after PCI) reported to have low levels of anxiety and depression in this study. Two thirds of the respondents showed a decrease in the level of anxiety and depression levels after PCI.  This is consistent with the findings of Heikkla et al. (1998). At the NHI, it is mandatory for all patients and spouses to attend health

education such as “pump talk” and orientation carried out by the physician, nurses, cardiac angiographer and cardiac technician. These prerequisites knowledge could have assisted them in clarifying their doubts about PCI. Health education session may have contributed to low level of anxiety and depression. Other confounding factors such as well trained staffs, equipped facilities, conducive environment and adequate technology could have also be other influencing factors leading to low levels of anxiety and depression.

Results from this study showed an increase in their moderate levels of anxiety and depression after PCI among the respondents. It was found that most of the respondents attributed their feelings of nervousness and inability to relax to the laboratory environment which consisted of bulky machineries, health care providers with masks and gowned, and dim lighted room.  Thompson et al. (2004), also reported that the noise of the X-Ray equipment, the semi darkness, the masked and gowned staff, and the movement of the table during positioning, aggravated the anxiety level of patients. In addition, they were anxious when informed of their progression and intervention in relation to the findings of PCI.  According to Rice, Caldwell, Butler & Robinson, (1986) it is better to inform the patients of pending PCI findings because the fear of anticipating the PCI findings can be greater than the procedure itself.

The levels of anxiety and depression in respondents before PCI were remarkably low; however, after PCI, their levels of anxiety and depression were even much lowered. Parker et al., (2006) reported that level of anxiety and uncertainties would be aggravated while waiting for revascu-larization.  Meanwhile, Pederson et al., (2006) found only 41 (8%) respondents, out of 542 respondents gradually deve-loped significant depressive symptoms at 12th month post PCI.  This result of the present study is similar with those previously published. It is hoped that future studies could include the follow up of post PCI respondents.

Results of this study showed a significant correlation between the presence of anxiety and depression both before and after PCI (p values, < 0.05). This asso-ciation between anxiety and depression before and after PCI is congruent with the findings of Parker et al. (2006) who showed strong interdependence between an-xiety and depression among patients with acute coronary syndrome. Donald (2001) reported that depression and anxiety were prevalent among coronary heart disease patients.

However, there was no significant cor-relation between anxiety and depression levels to socio-demographic data. This could be due to the non inclusion of other factors that may contribute to anxiety and depression in this study. Sherry et al. (2005) stated that psychosocial factors were pivotal and greatly influenced psycho-logical processes of an individual during the phases of their coronary heart disease. According to Koivula et al. (2002), similar findings with regards to the anxiety level of coronary patients were interfaced with the patients’ social support and availability of resources.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, results of this study show that anxiety and depression levels before and after PCI was low. There was a reduction in the anxiety and depression levels after PCI but it was insignificant. The low level of anxiety and depression seen among the PCI patients at NHI could be due to the adequate facilities, orientation and health education provided to them before and after PCI by the physician, nurses, cardiac angiographer and cardiac technician. In addition, holistic psycholo-gical support from the support groups may have further assisted these patients in reducing the levels of anxiety and depression. This may help the PCI patients to cope to a better level and hence, lead to reduction in morbidity and mortality.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The development of this study would not have been possible without the contribution of many scholarly individuals. I sincerely would like to express my appreciation to Associate Professor Dr. Aliah Hanim M. Salleh, Encik Suhaimi Ahmad and Associate Professor Dr John Urban for their guidance and constructive critiques during various stages of development of this study.

Finally, I am further indebted to the Management of the National Heart Institute for granting permission to conduct this study.