Virtual Reality for Patient Preparation Before Cardiac Catheterization in Oman

Summary

Background: Cardiovascular disease is considered one of the most prevalent diseases in recent times, and cardiac catheterization is widely used to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease. However, patients often experience significant anxiety before the procedure due to fear of the unknown, potential complications, and concern about discomfort.Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of virtual reality technology to reduce anxiety and improve patient satisfaction, attitude, and usefulness in individuals undergoing first-time cardiac catheterization procedures in Oman.Method: A mixed-method randomized control trial will be used with approximately 120 patients from different tertiary hospitals in Oman. The experimental group will experience a virtual reality simulation of the catheterization process before providing informed consent, while the control group will receive the standard pre-procedure education. The Arabic version of the DASS-21 scale will be used to assess anxiety level pre- and post-intervention, while patient satisfaction will be measured through qualitative interviews with a subset of 10 participants.Result: ANOVA will be conducted to examine differences in anxiety and satisfaction scores between groups, and Pearson's correlation (r) will assess relationships between anxiety levels and satisfaction scores, while paired t-tests will be applied to compare anxiety levels before and after the intervention within groups. Additionally, multiple regression analysis will be employed to identify predictors of patient satisfaction and anxiety reduction, with a significance level set at p ≤ 0.05 for all statistical tests.Conclusion: The expected outcome of this study is that virtual reality-based education will significantly reduce pre-procedure anxiety and enhance patient satisfaction compared to standard education. Findings from this research may contribute to improving patient-centered care and developing innovative strategies to optimize emotional preparedness before cardiac catheterization procedures.

Conditions

• Coronary Artery Disease
• Ischaemic Heart Desease
• Cardiac Catheterization

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Virtual Reality Education

Participants in this group will receive a virtual reality-based educational session prior to their first cardiac catheterization. The VR module provides an immersive 3D orientation to the catheterization process, including admission, preparation, transfer to the Cath Lab, procedural steps, and post-procedure recovery. The VR session lasts approximately 10-15 minutes and is delivered once in a quiet hospital setting before the scheduled procedure. This innovative approach aims to enhance patient understanding and reduce anxiety associated with the catheterization experience. By familiarizing participants with the entire process beforehand, the program seeks to improve overall satisfaction and outcomes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sultan Qaboos University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

19 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-03-05

Primary Completion

2027-01-30

Completion

2027-06-30