DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/nmjn.v14i3.59086

Effects of Massage Therapy on Anxiety in Heart Disease Patients

*Beti Kristinawati orcid scopus  -  Nursing Study Program, Faculty of Health Science, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Indonesia
Bintang Viga Handika  -  Registered Nurse Program, Faculty of Health Science, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Indonesia
Ardhu Rizkiawan  -  Universitas Indonesia Hospital, Indonesia
Nyofan Wahyu Mardana  -  Registered Nurse Program, Faculty of Health Science, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Indonesia
Nove Wiand Dwi Wijayanti  -  Registered Nurse Program, Faculty of Health Science, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Indonesia
Open Access Copyright (c) 2025 by the Authors, Published by Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Diponegoro
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Background: Patients with heart disease often experience anxiety as a response to physiological changes, and massage therapy is one of the alternative treatments available to alleviate this condition. Although the benefits of massage therapy in reducing anxiety are well recognized, there is a lack of focused research evaluating its specific effects on individuals with heart disease.

Purpose: This review aims to systematically assess the effects of massage therapy on anxiety levels in patients with heart disease.

Methods: A systematic review of literature published between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2020, was conducted using the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, CrossRef, and Google Scholar databases. Seventeen studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected for review. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool, and the findings were synthesized narratively.

Results: The review indicates that massage therapy has a positive effect on reducing anxiety in patients with heart disease. Various massage techniques consistently demonstrated significant anxiety-reducing outcomes.

Conclusion: Based on this systematic review, massage therapy appears to significantly reduce anxiety levels in patients with heart disease, including both surgical and non-surgical populations.

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Keywords: Anxiety; disease heart; massage therapy
Funding: Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta

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