Cardiovascular Reactivity to Physical Stress

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Blood Pressure; Stress, Physiological
• Interventions: Other: Low-volume high intensity exercise; Other: Combined intermittent sauna and cold water bath (sauna+cold bath).

• Registration Number: NCT06319001
• Lead Sponsor: Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Brief Summary

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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-02-11
• Study Start: 2024-02-19
• Status Verified: 2024-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-03-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-03-11
• Study First Posted: 2024-03-19
• Last Update Posted: 2024-03-19
• Primary Completion: 2027-01-01
• Study Completion: 2027-01-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 58

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.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Neutral control	Combined intermittent sauna and cold water bath (sauna+cold bath).	To control for the PSE intervention, the participants will receive 15 min of neutral information about the effects of physical exercise on cardiovascular fitness.
Positive stress education (PSE)	Combined intermittent sauna and cold water bath (sauna+cold bath).	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.
Positive stress education (PSE)	Low-volume high intensity exercise	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.
Neutral control	Low-volume high intensity exercise	To control for the PSE intervention, the participants will receive 15 min of neutral information about the effects of physical exercise on cardiovascular fitness.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Blood pressure (unit: mmHg) response to laboratory stressors	Assessment will be completed before intervention and approximately 30 minutes after intervention	Response will be calculated as the change from baseline to peak. Stressors employed include handgrip exercise, post-exercise ischemia, and cold pressor test.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Resting blood pressure (mmHg).	Assessment will be completed before intervention and approximately 30 minutes after intervention
Subjective ratings of expectancies (point score).	Assessment will be completed before intervention and approximately 30 minutes after intervention.	Stress, pain, heat, and cold response expectancies will be assessed with single questions specifically targeted to the interventions and experimental tests using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) ranging from 0 = no stress, no pain, no discomfort (heat, cold) at all to 10 = worst possible pain, stress, heat/cold discomfort.
Endothelial function (% dilation)	Assessment will be completed before intervention and approximately 30 minutes after intervention.	Endothelial function will be assessed using the flow-mediated dilation technique following current guidelines.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences; 🇳🇴 Bergen, Vestland, Norway