When doctors gave heart surgery patients recordings of their pre-procedure conferences, their anxiety and depression lessened, according to study findings printed in the American Medical Association’s journal Archives of Surgery.

For the study, researchers at Scotland’s Royal Glasgow Infirmary divided 84 coronary artery surgery patients into three groups.

One group of 30 people received a recorded copy of their pre-surgery consultation lasting about 24 minutes. A second group of 25 patients got an 11-minute recording with general details about the surgical procedure. The third group of 29 participants received no audio recording.

Scientists found that all patients who listened to the recorded consultations learned more about their illness and what to expect during the surgical procedure compared with those who did not receive a tape.

Despite the belief that surgery details can create anxiety and stress for patients, researchers ruled that there is also a more positive effect.

“It has also been shown that a well-informed patient copes more effectively with surgery, and this factor can result in earlier discharge and decreased incidence of psychological problems,” the researchers wrote.

Informative recordings offered people an opportunity to catch something they may have missed during a doctor-patient conference and get explanations about information they previously received, researchers added.

Read how R&B diva Toni Braxton handled her heart disease diagnosis here.