Effects of sauna alone versus postexercise sauna baths on short-term heart rate variability in patients with untreated hypertension
Gayda M, Bosquet L, Paillard F, Garzon M, Sosner P, Juneau M, Bélanger M, Nigam A
Journal of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and prevention · 15 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal
Based on 1 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2012-05-01 · J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev · vol. 32 · issue 3 · pp. 147–154
- Publisher
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Cited
- 24 citations · more than 58% of similar papers · 0.2× the field average
- References
- 39 works
- Access
- Paywalled
- Research areas
- Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control · Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Cardiovascular Syncope and Autonomic Disorders
- Keywords
- Medicine, Heart rate variability, Heart rate, Cardiology, Internal medicine, Heart failure, Physical therapy, Blood pressure
- MeSH
- autonomic nervous system, humans, hypertension, electrocardiography, monitoring, physiologic, exercise, exercise therapy, steam bath, follow-up studies, heart rate, time factors, adult, aged, middle aged, male
8 authors
From CA, FR
- Mathieu GaydaMontreal Heart Institute
- Laurent BosquetMontreal Heart Institute; Université de Poitiers
- François PaillardMontreal Heart Institute; Université de Poitiers
- Mauricio GarzónMontreal Heart Institute; Université de Poitiers
- Philippe SosnerMontreal Heart Institute; Université de Poitiers
- Martin JuneauMontreal Heart Institute; Université de Poitiers
Abstract
Purpose
We measured the effects of sauna bathing alone or a 30-minute exercise session followed by sauna bathing on short-term heart rate variability (HRV) in subjects with untreated hypertension.
Methods
Ten patients with untreated hypertension (age 59 ± 10 years) were randomly assigned to (1) a control resting session, (2) two 8-minute sauna-only sessions (S), or (3) a 30-minute aerobic exercise session at 75% of maximal heart rate followed by a sauna session (ES). Spectral analysis of HRV was measured with a Polar S810 heart rate monitor at baseline, during the sauna session, and 15 and 120 minutes after the sauna session (T15 and T120). A Fast Fourier Transformation was used to quantify the power spectral density of the low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) bands.
Results
For S and ES conditions, LF (NU, normalized unit) and LF/HF were significantly higher (P < .05 and P < .01) in the first and second sauna sessions, and HF (NU) was significantly lower (P < .05, first sauna). At baseline and T15 for S and ES versus control, LF (NU) and LF/HF were significantly higher (P < .05), and HF (NU) was significantly lower (P < .05), without any effect of the 30-minute exercise session.
Conclusions
A single sauna session induced a significant alteration of autonomic cardiovascular control in patients with untreated hypertension, with an increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic drive. These alterations were normalized within 15 to 120 minutes after sauna bathing. Additional studies are required to document long-term effects of chronic sauna bathing on autonomic control in patients with hypertension.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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