Three Studies ... Interesting Information!!!

The effects of the inhalation method using essential oils on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension


[Article in Korean] Hwang JH. jhhang@kc.ac.kr

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to indentify the effects of aromatherapy on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension.

METHOD: There were fifty-two subjects divided into an essential oil group, placebo group, and control group by random assignment. The application of aromatherapy was the inhalation method if blending oils with lavender, ylang-ylang and bergamot once daily for 4 weeks. To evaluate the effects of aromatherapy, blood pressure and pulse were measured two times a week and serum cortisol levels, catecholamine levels, subjective stress, and state anxiety were measured before and after treatment in the three groups. Data was analyzed by repeated measures of ANOVA, one-way ANOVA, and chi(2)-test using the SPSS 10.0 program.

RESULTS: the blood pressure, pulse, subjective stress, state anxiety, and serum cortisol levels among the three groups were significantly statistically different. The differences of catecholamine among the three groups were not significant statistically.

CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the inhalation method using essential oils can be considered an effective nursing intervention that reduces psychological stress responses and serum cortisol levels, as well as the blood pressure of clients with essential hypertension.

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The effects of aromatherapy on stress and stress responses in adolescents

[Article in Korean] Seo JY. marseo@hanmail.net

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the effects of aromatherapy on stress and stress responses in adolescents.

METHODS: A two-group cross-over design was used for this study. The experimental treatment was aroma essential oil inhalation and the placebo treatment was carrier oil inhalation using a necklace. The

sample included 36 female high school students. Fisher’s exact test, t-test, and paired t-test using SPSS/WIN program were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS: Stress levels were significantly lower when the students received the aroma treatment compared to when they received the placebo treatment. The stress responses except salivary IgA levels were significantly lower when the students received the aroma treatment.

CONCLLUSION: Aroma inhalation could be a very effective stress management method for high school students. Therefore, it is recommended that this program be used in clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention for high school students.

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Ambient odors of orange and lavender reduce anxiety and improve mood in a dental office.

Lehrner J, Marwinski G, Lehr S, Johren P, Deecke L.

University Clinic of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. johann.lehrner@meduniwien.ac.at

Abstract

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of the essential oils of orange and lavender on anxiety, mood, alertness and calmness in dental patients.

METHOD: Two hundred patients between the ages of 18 and 77 years (half women, half men) were assigned to one of four independent groups. While waiting for dental procedures patients were either stimulated with ambient odor of orange or ambient odor of lavender. These conditions were compared to a music condition and a control condition (no odor, no music). Anxiety, mood, alertness and calmness were assessed while patients waited for dental treatment.

RESULTS: Statistical analyses revealed that compared to control condition both ambient odors of orange and lavender reduced anxiety and improved mood in patients waiting for dental treatment.

CONCLUSION: These findings support the previous opinion that odors are capable of altering emotional states and may indicate that the use of odors is helpful in reducing anxiety in dental patients