Hugo Gravel1, Parya Behzadi1, Sarah Cardinal1, Hadiatou Barry1, Paul-Eduard Neagoe2, Martin Juneau3, Anil Nigam3, Martin G Sirois4, Daniel Gagnon5. 1. Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, Montréal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada. 2. Research Centre, Montréal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada. 3. Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, Montréal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada. 4. Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Research Centre, Montréal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada. 5. Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, Montréal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Research Centre, Montréal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: daniel.gagnon.3@umontreal.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Finnish sauna bathing habits are associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular mortality. The physiologic adaptations mediating this association remain to be fully elucidated. This study tested the hypothesis that Finnish sauna bathing acutely improves peripheral flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in middle-aged and older adults with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Twenty-two adults (20 male, 2 female; 67 ± 10 years) with stable CAD underwent 2 periods of 10 minutes in a Finnish sauna (81.3 ± 2.7°C, 23 ± 3% humidity) separated by 10 minutes of thermoneutral rest. Before and 51 ± 8 minutes after sauna bathing, brachial artery FMD and postocclusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) were evaluated by means of Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: Sauna bathing increased core temperature (mean +0.66°C [95% CI 0.54-0.77], P < 0.01) and heart rate (+27 beats/min [24-29], P < 0.01), and decreased systolic (-19 mm Hg [-31 to -6]; P < 0.01) and diastolic (-6 mm Hg [-11 to -1], P < 0.01) blood pressures. Brachial artery FMD was greater after sauna bathing (+1.21% [0.16-2.26], P = 0.04), whereas PORH was unchanged (peak: +0.51 mL/min/mm Hg [-0.13 to 1.15], P = 0.11; area under the curve: +0.21 mL/mm Hg [-0.12 to 0.54]; P = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: A typical Finnish sauna bathing session acutely improves peripheral FMD in middle-aged and older adults with stable CAD.
BACKGROUND: Finnish sauna bathing habits are associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular mortality. The physiologic adaptations mediating this association remain to be fully elucidated. This study tested the hypothesis that Finnish sauna bathing acutely improves peripheral flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in middle-aged and older adults with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Twenty-two adults (20 male, 2 female; 67 ± 10 years) with stable CAD underwent 2 periods of 10 minutes in a Finnish sauna (81.3 ± 2.7°C, 23 ± 3% humidity) separated by 10 minutes of thermoneutral rest. Before and 51 ± 8 minutes after sauna bathing, brachial artery FMD and postocclusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) were evaluated by means of Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: Sauna bathing increased core temperature (mean +0.66°C [95% CI 0.54-0.77], P < 0.01) and heart rate (+27 beats/min [24-29], P < 0.01), and decreased systolic (-19 mm Hg [-31 to -6]; P < 0.01) and diastolic (-6 mm Hg [-11 to -1], P < 0.01) blood pressures. Brachial artery FMD was greater after sauna bathing (+1.21% [0.16-2.26], P = 0.04), whereas PORH was unchanged (peak: +0.51 mL/min/mm Hg [-0.13 to 1.15], P = 0.11; area under the curve: +0.21 mL/mm Hg [-0.12 to 0.54]; P = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: A typical Finnish sauna bathing session acutely improves peripheral FMD in middle-aged and older adults with stable CAD.
Authors: Rauchelle E Richey; Holden W Hemingway; Amy M Moore; Albert H Olivencia-Yurvati; Steven A Romero Journal: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol Date: 2022-01-21 Impact factor: 4.733