February 14, 2025- Heart surgery is a serious and invasive medical procedure, and that can be intimidating for a patient. A new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings suggests that virtual reality (VR) can be an effective tool to reduce preoperative anxiety in older patients undergoing their first open-heart surgery. While much of the research to date using VR involved younger patient populations, these research findings suggest that immersive VR was effective and well tolerated in older patients. These reductions in anxiety are particularly significant given the known link between preoperative anxiety and negative postoperative outcomes, including increased pain, reduced activity and higher medication use.