Background: Effective management of postoperative
blood pressure is vital to minimizing the risk of complications in patients. The use of pharmacotherapy alone may not be sufficient, and complementary methods such as local cold therapy and massage techniques have shown promising results in maintaining
blood pressure stability.Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to investigate and compare the impact of local cold therapy and hand and foot massage on
blood pressure levels in surgical patients. By examining the efficacy of these non-pharmacological approaches, we aim to identify safe and effective methods for postoperative
blood pressure management.Methods: This semi-experimental study employed a three-group, before-after design and was comprised of ۹۰ patients who underwent surgery in ۲۰۱۹ at the Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Patients were selected through a convenience-sampling method and randomly assigned to either the intervention group, which received local cold therapy and massage, or the control group. The local cold therapy and massage were administered three times per day for ۲۰ minutes over a ۴۸-hour period. Following the intervention, the researcher measured changes in blood pressure.Results: The mean difference in systolic
blood pressure before and after the intervention was found to be significant in both the massage (p = ۰.۰۰۱) and local cold therapy (p = ۰.۰۰۲) groups. Similarly, the mean difference in diastolic
blood pressure before and after the intervention was significant for the massage (P<۰.۰۰۱) and local cold therapy (P = ۰.۰۳۶) groups. An ANOVA test was conducted, revealing no significant differences in mean systolic and diastolic
blood pressure between the different groups before (P = ۰.۲۸) and after (P = ۰.۰۵۹) the intervention. Conclusion: The findings suggest that incorporating local cold therapy and hand and foot massage into routine care may be beneficial. It could be valuable to teach nurses and patients' companions how to use these methods effectively in order to enhance their effectiveness.
