Skip Navigation

European Journal of Heart Failure 2006 8(3):308-313; doi:10.1016/j.ejheart.2005.08.001
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Cider, A.
Right arrow Articles by Andersson, B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Cider, A.
Right arrow Articles by Andersson, B.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 2006 European Society of Cardiology

Immersion in warm water induces improvement in cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure

Åsa Cider*, Bente Grüner Sveälv, Margareta Scharin Täng, Maria Schaufelberger and Bert Andersson

Cardiovascular Institute, Department of Cardiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital Göteborg, Sweden

* Corresponding author. Department of Physiotherapy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital S-413 45 Göteborg, Sweden. Tel.: +46 31 342 11 95; fax: +46 31 342 43 41. E-mail address: asa.cider{at}fhs.gu.se


  Abstract

Background: The effects of immersion and training of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) in warm water has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the acute hemodynamic response of immersion and peripheral muscle training in elderly patients with CHF.

Methods: Thirteen CHF patients and 13 healthy subjects underwent echocardiography on land and in a temperature-controlled swimming pool (33–34° C).

Results: Rest. Heart rate decreased (CHF, p=0.01; control, p=0.001) and stroke volume increased (CHF, p=0.01; control, p=0.001) during water immersion in both groups, with no change in systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Ejection fraction (p<0.05) and transmitral Doppler E/A ratio (p=0.01) increased in the CHF group, with no changes in left ventricular volumes. The healthy subjects had similar responses, but also displayed an increase in cardiac output (p<0.01) and left ventricular volumes (p<0.001). Exercise. Cardiac output and systolic blood pressure increased significantly in water, in both groups.

Conclusion: A general increase in early diastolic filling was accompanied by a decrease in heart rate, leading to an increase in stroke volume and ejection fraction in most patients with CHF during warm water immersion. These beneficial hemodynamic effects might be the reason for the previously observed good tolerability of this exercise regime.

Key Words: Hemodynamic phenomena • Hydrotherapy • Echocardiography • Doppler • Heart function tests

Received November 23, 2004; Revised April 21, 2005; Accepted August 17, 2005


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Eur J Heart FailHome page
J.-P. Schmid, C. Morger, M. Noveanu, R. K. Binder, M. Anderegg, and H. Saner
Haemodynamic and arrhythmic effects of moderately cold (22{degrees}C) water immersion and swimming in patients with stable coronary artery disease and heart failure
Eur J Heart Fail, September 1, 2009; 11(9): 903 - 909.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.