Cardiovascular Reactivity to Physical Stress (REACT)

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Stress, Physiological; Blood Pressure

Treatments: Other: Low-volume high intensity exercise; Other: Combined intermittent sauna and cold water bath (sauna+cold bath).

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06319001

2688791

Details and patient eligibility

About

It is well-accepted that an exaggerated blood pressure (BP) response to physical stress has a prognostic value, indicating a higher cardiovascular risk (e.g., sudden cardiac death, myocardial infarction, future hypertension, and left ventricular hypertrophy). However, there is a limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms and therapuetic strategies modulating this response. Therefore, this pilot project aims to explore whether one session of low-volume high-intensity interval training (low-volume HIIT) or combined intermittent heat and cold bath (sauna+cold bath) can decrease BP responses to physical stress. Furthermore, the secondary goal is to investigate whether one brief session learning about positive stress expectations magnifies the decrease in BP following low-volume HIIT and sauna+ cold bath.

Enrollment: 58 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Male or female between 18 to 50 years
• Non-smoker.
• Non-obese (<30 kg/m2).
• Able to walk on a treadmill and cycle on a stationary bike without problems.
• No or little (frequency < 2 times per month) experience swimming with sauna and cold water.
• Proficient in Norwegian and able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Current or previous regular smoker
• Addictions to alcohol or illegal drugs
• Diagnosed with cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, or autoimmune diseases
• Taking prescription medication with known cardiovascular effects
• Judgment by a medical provider that exercise, heat therapy, or hydrotherapy poses an undue burden or risk.
• Cognitive or psychiatric impairment
• Lack of proficiency in Norwegian language oral or writing skills that will hamper the ability to participate in the interventions and fill out questionnaires.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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58 participants in 2 patient groups

Positive stress education (PSE)

Experimental group

Description:

This intervention will consist of standardized information about the relationships between expectations and the stress response. Using the CATS as a theoretical framework, the participants will be explained that when people face stressors, i.e., pain, heat, and cold water, the expectations about handling the situation will influence both the experience (e.g., pain) and the physiological stress response.

Treatment:

Other: Combined intermittent sauna and cold water bath (sauna+cold bath).

Other: Low-volume high intensity exercise

Neutral control

Sham Comparator group

Description:

To control for the PSE intervention, the participants will receive 15 min of neutral information about the effects of physical exercise on cardiovascular fitness.

Treatment:

Other: Combined intermittent sauna and cold water bath (sauna+cold bath).

Other: Low-volume high intensity exercise