Heart Failure
Heart failure affects about 1% of people aged 65 or older. It is
difficult to treat effectively, with readmission rates of up to 50% by
6 months after hospitalization. Heart failure primarily affects the
elderly, so as the population ages, the incidence of heart failure is
also increasing. Treatment primarily consists of medical therapy,
cardiac rehab, and in selected patients, cardiac device implantation.
Although not widely utilized, sauna bathing may be an additional
treatment modality that can improve the clinical symptoms of patients
with heart failure. In addition, there is some evidence that sauna
therapy may also be beneficial in the primary prevention of
atherosclerotic disease in patients with risk factors, which may help
prevent heart failure
[2].
The mechanism underlying the robust health benefits observed from sauna
therapy in patients with heart failure appears to be related to an
improvement in vascular function. In one study, 20 people underwent 8
weeks of repeated hot water immersion treatments, and experienced
increased flow-mediated dilation and reduced arterial stiffness
[7].
Waon therapy, a form of dry heat therapy similar to sauna bathing, also
has been shown to have beneficial structural and molecular effects on
the vascular system. Another study compared the vascular effects of Waon
therapy with statin therapy. This study in laboratory rats found that
the structural and molecular vascular effects of Waon therapy were
similar to the effects of fluvastatin
[8].
A clinical trial of 20 healthy young women found that sauna bathing
every other day for two weeks resulted in a statistically significant
8% drop in total cholesterol
[5].
These vascular effects of sauna bathing appear to have significant
health benefits in heart failure. In a study of 153 heart failure
patients, Waon therapy improved the 6-minute walk distance, the
cardiothoracic ratio, and the New York Heart Association (NYHA)
functional classification
[9].
Another study of 54 patients with chronic heart failure also found that
sauna therapy significantly improved the ambulation grade,
cardiothoracic ratio, and NYHA functional classification
[10].
A third study of 49 heart failure patients found that Waon therapy
improved the 6-minute walking distance, left ventricular ejection
fraction, flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery, and overall
quality of life
[11].