en Epidemiology Original Article <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times new roman;"><strong>Background:</strong> Hospitalization in the coronary care unit (CCU) is a concern for patients and their companions. Different studies have presented conflicting results about the effect of visitors on physiological parameters of patients. The purpose of this study was to determine changes in physiological parameters (systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) due to presence of visitors at the bedside of patients admitted to CCU at Ali-ibn Abi Talib Hospital of Rafsanjan, Iran.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times new roman;"><strong>Materials and Methods:</strong> This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 281 patients hospitalized in the CCU. Patients&rsquo; systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were obtained using a heart monitoring device 2 hours before, during, immediately, and 2 hours after the visit and were recorded in checklists by nurses. Data were analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times new roman;"><strong>Results:</strong> Mean and standard deviation of patients&rsquo; age was 62.96 &plusmn; 12.16 years (ranged between 29-93 years). Mean changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate of patients in studied time periods was statistically significant (P < 0.001), so that they increased during visit, and then, after 2 hours they returned to primary levels. Women&rsquo;s physiological parameters were higher than men&rsquo;s over all time periods (P < 0.050). Patients&rsquo; average systolic blood pressure did not differ across age groups (P > 0.050). Average diastolic blood pressure in patients older than 70 years was less than other age groups and average heart rate in patients older than 60 years was higher than younger patients (P < 0.050).</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times new roman;"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> The average of physiological parameters increased during visits, but decreased to primary levels 2 hours after visits. These changes were not considered clinically important.</span></p> Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, Coronary Care Unit (CCU), Visitors, Iran 206 215 http://johe.rums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-28-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 A Hamdami Nejad 2240031947532846003886 2240031947532846003886 No Paramedical School, ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. Rafsanjan University of Medical Science Z Gorgi 2240031947532846003887 2240031947532846003887 No Medical School, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences S Hajmalek 2240031947532846003888 2240031947532846003888 No Paramedical School, ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences F Salarpoor 2240031947532846003889 2240031947532846003889 No Paramedical School, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences S Madadizadeh 2240031947532846003890 2240031947532846003890 No Paramedical School, ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences M Parzivand 2240031947532846003891 2240031947532846003891 No Paramedical School, ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences L Sadat Hosseini 2240031947532846003892 2240031947532846003892 No Paramedical School, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences M Sheikh Fathollahi mamoosh502002@yahoo.com 2240031947532846003893 2240031947532846003893 Yes Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Medical School, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. ‌Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences