VR Headsets Found to Lower Blood Pressure and Stress in ER Patients

Emergency medicine specialists at Ankaha Bilkent City Hospital in Ankara. Turkey, have discovered that using VR headsets in emergency departments can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress levels in patients.

The study, presented at EUSEM 2026, found that patients who used VR headsets in combination with classical music had a 12-15% drop in anxiety and blood pressure compared to those who received standard medication.

Dr. Safa Dönmez, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Health Sciences in Ankara, led the study. "Patients who arrive in the emergency department with markedly elevated blood pressure-readings of 180 mmHg or higher on the top number, or 110 mmHg or higher on the bottom number-are extremely common" he said.

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"The emergency department environment itself-the noise, the bright lights, the uncertainty-can make that worse. This made me wonder: if we could help patients feel calmer, could we also help their blood pressure come down faster?"

A clinical trial involving 65 patients with hypertensive urgency was conducted. With participants divided into two groups: a testing group and a control group, each comprising 65 individuals. Both groups received their standard prescribed blood pressure medication.

In the testing group, participants also wore VR headsets displaying a calming natural environment, while music was played on a separate smartphone.

Researchers observed a notable difference in blood pressure readings after just 15 minutes. With participants in the VR intervention group exhibiting significantly lower absolute values and greater reductions from baseline compared to their counterparts in the control group. This disparity persisted for 15 minutes, before the two groups converged by 60 minutes, suggesting a potential therapeutic window for the treatment.

observers note it can reasonably be considered as a supportive. Patient-centered addition to standard care, especially for patients who are visibly anxious or distressed,Dr. Yenal.

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One member of the abstract committee for the study saidAlthough this is a single-center study. The results are interesting and deserve further investigation.

While the study suggests that VR headsets could be a useful tool in emergency departments, it is unclear whether this approach will be widely adopted due to the high cost of VR headsets.