Beneficial effects of sauna bathing for heart failure patients

Generally, the sauna bathing has been contraindicated for patients with chronic heart failure. However, it has been well tolerated and improved hemodynamics has been shown in patients with chronic heart failure after a single exposure and after a four-week period of sauna bathing (five days per week). Left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 24+/-7% to 31+/-9% and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension decreased from 66+/-6 mm to 62+/-5 mm after four weeks. In the present review, the mechanisms of action, the clinical data available to date and the possible beneficial effects of sauna bathing for patients with heart failure are discussed, as well as the precautions and the contraindications in this specific group of patients with chronic heart failure.