Coronary heart disease patients who listen to music reap certain benefits, a review of previous studies by researchers at Temple University have found. Listening to music with a slow tempo that is not subject to sudden change helped lowered the heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate. Soothing harmonies in the music also helped.
Heart disease patients had better results when they were able to choose their own music, as opposed to having a music therapist or other staff member choose it for them.
Records from over 1,400 patients were reviewed. All of those studied were either having a cardiac procedure performed or were in hospital for 48 hours or less.
Being in the hospital is not a comfortable experience for most people, and if listening to some soothing music can produce positive results, it makes sense to make some tunes available to patients.
