Study of Exercise With Hot Water Immersion in Rehabilitation After Heart Attack to Improve Inflammation and Well-being

What this Trial Is About

Myocardial infarction MI remains a leading cause of death in developed countries. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is a standard treatment after MI, improving heart function and lowering risks of hospital readmissions and new cardiovascular events. This trial investigates whether combining exercise with hot water immersion HWI improves inflammation, metabolism, cardiovascular function, and psychological well-being better than exercise alone in patients recovering from a recent MI. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups for an 8-week intervention. One group will perform exercise training twice a week followed by 15 minutes of hot water immersion at 40 degrees Celsius, while the control group will do exercise training alone followed by a 20-minute rest. The study aims to compare changes in inflammation, measured by the marker interleukin 6 IL-6, along with other markers of inflammation, metabolism, cardiovascular function, and psychological health. During the study, participants will be monitored for blood markers, cardiovascular function including flow-mediated dilatation and blood pressure, and psychological well-being at 8 weeks. The research team will track adherence to the therapy sessions and evaluate safety. The total participation time covers the 8-week intervention period, with data collected to assess if adding hot water immersion to exercise offers additional benefits for cardiac rehabilitation after MI.

Hot Water Immersion After Myocardial Infarction