A Comparison of Exercise Training and Heat Therapy for Improving Blood Pressure in Adults with Untreated Hypertension
| dc.contributor.advisor | Minson, Christopher | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kaiser, Brendan | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-08-07T21:04:16Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-08-07 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Hypertension, or high blood pressure, represents a primary yet preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, kidney dysfunction, and cognitive impairment that impacts nearly 50% of United States adults. Physical activity is the primary lifestyle recommendation to lower blood pressure, but many people are unwilling or unable to engage in exercise training. Heat therapy, in the form of hot water immersion, dry sauna, or far-infrared sauna, has gained attention in recent years as a potential therapeutic alternative to exercise for improving blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk, with secondary benefits for multiple organ systems, including the renal and cerebral circulation. While both exercise and heat therapy have been demonstrated as effective in a variety of populations, there are no studies that have directly compared these interventions for lowering blood pressure in adults with untreated hypertension. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of heat therapy and exercise training for improving blood pressure, renal function, and biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease among adults with untreated hypertension. 41 adults were randomized to complete either 30 sessions of aerobic exercise training (n=20) or hot water immersion (n=21) over 8-10 weeks, with a battery of in-clinic and ambulatory assessments at baseline (PRE), after 15 sessions (MID), and after 30 sessions (POST). The impact of both interventions in this population was equivocal among outcome variables of interest, including both ambulatory and in-clinic blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, as well as biomarkers of renal function, cognitive function, and Alzheimer’s Disease. These findings help to inform future lifestyle interventions aimed at improving blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk among adults with untreated hypertension. | en_US |
| dc.description.embargo | 2025-05-08 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1794/29707 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.publisher | University of Oregon | |
| dc.rights | All Rights Reserved. | |
| dc.subject | Exercise Training | en_US |
| dc.subject | Heat Therapy | en_US |
| dc.subject | Hypertension | en_US |
| dc.title | A Comparison of Exercise Training and Heat Therapy for Improving Blood Pressure in Adults with Untreated Hypertension | |
| dc.type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Department of Human Physiology | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of Oregon | |
| thesis.degree.level | doctoral | |
| thesis.degree.name | Ph.D. |