Sauna Bathing to Improve Vascular Health of Adults With Heart Disease

Mounting evidence suggests that heat therapy may improve cardiovascular health. Recent analyses of a large cohort of middle-aged to older Finnish men have established that frequent sauna bathing is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality, of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and of developing hypertension. Given the observational nature of these relationships, it remains unknown if the beneficial effects of sauna bathing can be directly attributed to heat exposure.

The objective of this study is to test the primary hypothesis that 8 weeks of sauna bathing improves flow-mediated dilation, a measure of blood vessel health, in middle-aged to older adults (50-70 yrs) with stable coronary artery disease.

Inclusion criteria

• A history of angiographic coronary disease: ≥70% arterial diameter narrowing of at least one major epicardial coronary artery and/or prior coronary revascularization and/or documented prior acute coronary syndrome and/or perfusion defect during exercise testing or pharmacological stimulation
• Stable medication doses (≥4 weeks) prior to enrolment
• Body mass index <35 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria

• Recent (<3 months) coronary artery disease-related hospitalization or change in angina pattern
• Unstable angina
• Ejection fraction <40% and/or clinical evidence of heart failure
• Significant valvular heart disease
• Uncontrolled hypertension (>180/110 mmHg)