Aim. This study aimed to compare the effects of Swedish massage and preferredmusic intervention on anxiety in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background. Anxiety can affect the comfort and health of patients.One of the goals of nursing care is providing comfort for patients. Use of complementary therapies including Swedish massage and preferred music can be effective in improving anxiety.

Method. This quasi-experimental study with pre-test post-test design with control group was conducted in Doctor Shariati Hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. In this study, in each group (control, Swedish massage and music intervention), 30 hospitalized patients with chronic heart failure were recruitedthrough convenience sampling. Then, patients were allocated to groups by simple randomization. Data were collected by Spielberger anxiety assessment questionnaire. Swedish massage was conducted daily for 20 minutes at evening for three consecutive days by using almond oil. In music group, patient’s' preferred music including two of the three types of classical, gentle and Iranian traditional music was played for 20 minutes at evening for 3 sequential days by a tape recorder and headphone. Before and 15 minutes after intervention, patients' anxiety was measured and compared. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 21 using ANOVA, Paired t test, Fisher’s exact test.

Findings. The results showed that patients' preferred music and Swedish massage significantly reduced anxiety in patients with chronic heart failure, although Swedish massage reduced anxiety of patients' with chronic heart failure more than music intervention (p<0.0001)

Conclusion. The findings indicated that patients who received Swedish massage experienced lower levels of anxiety. Regarding the importance of anxiety control in patients with heart disease, it is proposed that Swedish massage can be used in the care of these patients and it is preferred to the music intervention.