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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?DB=pubmed Japanese do infrared saunas!!
Circ J. 2004 Dec;68(12):1146-51.
Effects of repeated sauna treatment on ventricular arrhythmias in patients with chronic heart failure.
• Kihara T,
• Biro S,
• Ikeda Y,
• Fukudome T,
• Shinsato T,
• Masuda A,
• Miyata M,
• Hamasaki S,
• Otsuji Y,
• Minagoe S,
• Akiba S,
• Tei C.
Department of Cardiovascular, Graduate School of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, Japan.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine whether repeated 60 degrees C sauna treatment improves cardiac arrhythmias in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, because ventricular arrhythmias are an important therapeutic target in CHF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty patients (59+/-3 years) with New York Heart Association functional class II or III CHF and at least 200 premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)/24 h assessed by 24-h Holter recordings were studied. They were randomized into sauna-treated (n=20) or non-treated (n=10) groups. The sauna-treated group underwent a 2-week program of a daily 60 degrees C far infrared-ray dry sauna for 15 min, followed by 30 min bed rest with blankets, for 5 days per week. Patients in the non-treated group had bed rest in a temperature-controlled room (24 degrees C) for 45 min. The total numbers of PVCs/24 h in the sauna-treated group decreased compared with the non-treated group <848+/-415 vs 3,097+/-1,033/24 h, p<0.01>. Heart rate variability (SDNN, standard deviation of normal-to-normal beat interval) increased <142+/-10 (n=16) vs 112+/-11 ms (n=8), p<0.05> and plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentrations decreased <229+/-54 vs 419+/-110 pg/ml, p<0.05> in the sauna-treated group compared with the non-treated group. CONCLUSION: Repeated sauna treatment improves ventricular arrhythmias in patients with CHF.
PMID: 15564698
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001 Oct;38(4):1083-8.
Repeated thermal therapy improves impaired vascular endothelial function in patients with coronary risk factors.
• Imamura M,
• Biro S,
• Kihara T,
• Yoshifuku S,
• Takasaki K,
• Otsuji Y,
• Minagoe S,
• Toyama Y,
• Tei C.
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima, Japan.
OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine whether sauna therapy, a thermal vasodilation therapy, improves endothelial function in patients with coronary risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and smoking. BACKGROUND: Exposure to heat is widely used as a traditional therapy in many different cultures. We have recently found that repeated sauna therapy improves endothelial and cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure. METHODS: Twenty-five men with at least one coronary risk factor (risk group: 38 +/- 7 years) and 10 healthy men without coronary risk factors (control group: 35 +/- 8 years) were enrolled. Patients in the risk group were treated with a 60 degrees C far infrared-ray dry sauna bath for 15 min and then kept in a bed covered with blankets for 30 min once a day for two weeks. To assess endothelial function, brachial artery diameter was measured at rest, during reactive hyperemia (flow-mediated endothelium-dependent dilation <%FMD>), again at rest and after sublingual nitroglycerin administration (endothelium-independent vasodilation <%NTG>) using high-resolution ultrasound. RESULTS: The %FMD was significantly impaired in the risk group compared with the control group (4.0 +/- 1.7% vs. 8.2 +/- 2.7%, p < 0.0001), while %NTG was similar (18.7 +/- 4.2% vs. 20.4 +/- 5.1%). Two weeks of sauna therapy significantly improved %FMD in the risk group (4.0 +/- 1.7% to 5.8 +/- 1.3%, p < 0.001). In contrast, %NTG did not change after two weeks of sauna therapy (18.7 +/- 4.2% to 18.1 +/- 4.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated sauna treatment improves impaired vascular endothelial function in the setting of coronary risk factors, suggesting a therapeutic role for sauna treatment in patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis.
Jpn Circ J. 2001 May;65(5):434-8.
Repeated thermal therapy upregulates arterial endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression in Syrian golden hamsters.
• Ikeda Y,
• Biro S,
• Kamogawa Y,
• Yoshifuku S,
• Eto H,
• Orihara K,
• Kihara T,
• Tei C.
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
It has been previously reported that sauna therapy, a thermal therapy, improves the hemodynamics and clinical symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure and also improves endothelial function, which is impaired in such patients. The present study investigated whether the improvements observed with sauna therapy are through modulation of arterial endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression. Eight male Syrian golden hamsters underwent sauna therapy, using an experimental far infrared-ray dry sauna system, at 39 degrees C for 15 min followed by 30 degrees C for 20 min daily for 4 weeks. Control group hamsters were placed in the sauna system switched off at room temperature of 24 degrees C for 35 min. Immunohistochemistry found greater amounts of the immunoreactive products of eNOS in the endothelial cells of the aorta and carotid, femoral and coronary arteries in the sauna group than in the control group. Western blot analysis also revealed that 4-week sauna therapy significantly increased eNOS expression in aortas by 50% in 4 series of independent experiments with an identical protocol (p<0.01). In reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay, the eNOS mRNA in aortas was greater in the sauna group than in controls, with a peak at 1-week of sauna therapy (approximately 40-fold increase). In conclusion, repeated thermal therapy upregulates eNOS expression in arterial endothelium.
PMID: 11348049