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.
This study is a clinical trial that will determine if sauna bathing improves blood vessel health in adults aged 50-70 years with heart disease.