The effect on back pain and fatigue level of acupressure after coronary angiography: a randomized single-blind sham-controlled study

AIM: Back pain and fatigue relating to long‐term bed rest in patients after coronary angiography is a frequently seen problem. This research was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of acupressure on the level of back pain and fatigue after coronary angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research was conducted as a single‐blind, randomized sham‐controlled study between January and March 2022. A total of 120 participants were randomly assigned to an acupressure group (n = 40), a sham acupressure group (n = 40) and a control group (n = 40). After coronary angiography, the acupressure group were given acupressure once for 15 minutes, and the sham acupressure group were given sham acupressure once for 15 minutes. A Personal Information Form and Visual Analog Scales for Pain and Fatigue were used to collect data. RESULTS: When the acupressure group was compared with the sham acupressure and control groups, a significant decrease was found in the levels of low back pain (p < .001) and fatigue (p < .001) after the intervention. CONCLUSION: It was found that acupressure after coronary angiography was effective in lowering patients' levels of back pain and fatigue. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Acupressure can be applied as a safe and non‐invasive nursing intervention to reduce back pain and fatigue after coronary angiography, supporting patient comfort and early recovery. CLINICAL TRIALS NUMBER: NCT06312397.