New analysis has found virtual reality (VR) can reduce anxiety during cardiovascular procedures and those patients using VR had more stable vital signs than patients receiving standard care.
The report was presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Middle East 2025 Together with 16th Emirates Cardiac Society Conference held last week.
“Virtual reality offers an innovative solution to manage and reduce the anxiety of patients undergoing an interventional cardiovascular procedure, like coronary angiography, that they are typically awake during,” said Yousef Radwan Alnomani, a clinical researcher at Benha University in Benha, Egypt, and the study’s lead author.
Researchers analysed data from five controlled trials comprising 451 patients comparing VR to standard of care in patients undergoing coronary angiography. The VR scenarios used included nature scenes such as waterfalls, mountains and valleys, designed to induce a state of relaxation that may reduce anxiety and stabilise vital signs in these patients, Alnomani said.
VR during coronary angiography was found to be superior to the standard of care in reducing anxiety and was associated with significantly lower changes in heart rate and blood pressure. While VR before coronary angiography did reduce anxiety, it did not show efficacy.
“Immersing patients in a 3D simulation offers better relaxation than just watching a similar video on a screen,” Alnomani said.
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