Effect on the on autonomic nervous response of informing patients about changes in anesthetic procedures

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between emotional stress and autonomic nervous response during local anesthesia. Twenty-four healthy subjects were divided into two groups. For both groups the dentist administering the local anesthesia was changed just before administration. One group was informed this change would be made, and the other was not. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured continuously in all subjects. We found that anxiety induced by the change of dentist influenced blood pressure and heart rate more among the patients who were not informed. This suggests that it is important to inform the patient of procedural changes he does not anticipate.