Critically ill patients on life support commonly develop delirium, but new research shows that music can help, according to a study published in the American Journal of Critical Care.
Delirium is a form of acute brain failure for which there is no effective treatment.
Researchers assessed patients on mechanical ventilators in the intensive care unit at Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis twice a day for delirium and delirium severity. Fifty-two patients participated in the study, and they were divided into three groups: one where they listened to slow tempo playlists (17 patients); one where patient surrogates could choose the music they listened to (17 patients); and one where they listened to an audiobook (18 patients).
The group that listened to individuals who listened to slow-tempo music (60 to 80 beats per minute) experienced a decreased need for sedatives, fewer days of delirium and were awake more often than the other groups.
The group listening to slow-tempo music also had lower levels of delirium severity than the other two groups.
"Further research is needed in order to test the efficacy of music … in managing delirium," researchers concluded.