Submitted by Dr. Chris Spooner

Cardiovascular disease is a term that refers to more than one disease of the circulatory system including the heart and blood vessels, whether the blood vessels are affecting the lungs, brain, kidneys or other parts of the body. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in adult Canadian men and women.

There are several types of cardiovascular disease, the most common include Ischemic Heart Disease and Cerebrovascular Disease of Stroker

Ischemic Heart Disease is the most common type of cardiovascular disease in Canada and other industrialized countries around the world. It refers to problems with the circulation of blood to the heart muscle. A partial blockage of one or more of the coronary arteries can result in a lack of enough oxygenated blood (ischemia), thus causing symptoms such as angina (chest pain) and dyspnea (shortness of breath). A complete blockage of an artery causes necrosis (damage to the tissues) or a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack.

Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke) refers to a problem with the circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the brain. A blockage with effects lasting less than 24 hours is referred to as a transient ischemic attack. A complete blockage with longterm effects is referred to as a cerebrovascular thrombosis (clot) or accident or a stroke. Sometimes, a blood vessel in the brain can burst resulting in long term effects.

Minimizing the Risks of Cardiovascular Disease

The most common type of cardiovascular disease - Ischemic Heart Disease -affects men and women equally. Arteries may stiffen with age, thus contributing to the risk of cardiovascular disease in older Canadians, and while heredity may also play a part, the majority of cases of cardiovascular disease relate to modifiable risk factors. The major modifiable risk factors include:

Smoking

Smoking contributes to the development of blocked arteries, increases the risk of blood clots, reduces oxygen in the blood and increases blood pressure. Smoking and/or exposure to other people smoking are harmful to health in general and increase the risk of a person developing Ischemic Heart Disease and stroke. More than 37,000 Canadians die prematurely each year from tobacco use. Nonsmokers can also die prematurely from secondhand smoke, and smoking nearly doubles the risk of a person having a stroke. Stopping smoking provides immediate and longlasting benefits. The risk of heart attack starts to go down within hours. Within 15 years, the risk of a heart attack for former smokers is the same as for those who never smoked at all.

High Cholesterol

Cholesterol is one of the fats in the blood that contribute to the growth of all cells in the body. Cholesterol is manufactured by the body in the liver, with a smaller amount coming from fatty food. Too much cholesterol can lead to blockage of arteries.

There are two main types of cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is often called "bad cholesterol" because high levels contribute to the blockage of arteries. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, often called "good cholesterol" because it helps carry LDL-cholesterol away from the artery walls. While triglycerides are not a type of cholesterol they are, however, a type of fat that is found in the blood. High triglycerides are linked with excess weight, excess alcohol consumption and diabetes.

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

Blood pressure (hypertension) is a measure of the pressure or force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels called arteries. The top number of a blood pressure reading represents the pressure when the heart contracts and pushes blood out (systolic) and the bottom number is the lowest pressure when the heart relaxes between beats (diastolic).

Blood pressure that is consistently more than 140/90 mmHg is considered high. For those living with diabetes, 130/80 mmHg is considered high.

Over time high blood pressure can damage blood vessel walls causing scarring that promotes the build-up of fatty plaque, a substance that can narrow and eventually block arteries. Fatty plaque also strains the heart, initially causing a thickening of the heart muscle and eventually causing the heart to weaken. Very high blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the brain to burst, resulting in a stroke.

In addition to being one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure is also the number one modifiable risk factor for stroke. In Canada more than 4.6 million people have been diagnosed with hypertension and possibly as many again remain unaware that they may have it. More than 90% of individuals aged 55 to 65 with normal blood pressure are expected to develop high blood pressure over their lifetimes.

In 2007, 21 million visits to community physicians were due to high blood pressure. In addition, there has been an increase in prescriptions for high blood pressure medication. Direct costs of high blood pressure in Canada are estimated to be approximately $2.3 billion per year.ßÄ

Diabetes

Diabetes develops when insulin does not control the level of sugar in the body, either because not enough insulin is produced or the body does not react properly to the insulin that is produced. Insulin is required to break down sugar for energy.

Diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and stroke particularly if the blood sugar levels are poorly controlled. It can result in poor circulation caused by damage to the blood vessels.

How FIR Sauna Helps the Heart

Infrared heat penetrates more deeply than warmed air, which causes users to perspire more vigorously at a lower temperature than they would in traditional saunas. The body attempts to regulate temperature by sweating and dilating blood vessels. The effect on the cardiovascular system is to decrease the resistance the heart has to pump against, also referred to as afterload, and increase heart rate.

The overall effect is an increase in cardiac output that is comparable to that achieved by walking at a moderate pace. For this reason, FIR Sauna can be of particular use in increasing cardiovascular fitness in those who are sedentary due to various medical conditions, such as osteoarthritis or cardiovascular or respiratory problems.

Coronary Risk Factors

3 papers support the use of FIR Sauna for individuals with coronary risk factors,5-7 which include high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and smoking.p

28 subjects with at least 1 coronary risk factor were divided into 2 matched groups of 14. Group A had 15-minute daily FIR Sauna sessions for 2 weeks, while group B rested in a room-temperature structure for the equivalent amount of time. Systolic BP was significantly reduced in the sauna group after therapy with none of the subjects reporting that they felt ill during the sauna sessions. While Blood pressure dropped, there were no reductions in body mass index, heart rate, diastolic BP, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, or fasting plasma glucose levels. The authors concluded that repeated FIR Sauna therapy might be a helpful adjuvant in preventing “lifestylerelated diseases”

25 men with at least 1 coronary risk factor underwent 10, 15-minute infrared sauna sessions over a 2-week period. 10 additional men without coronary risk factors served as a baseline control and did not receive any sauna treatment. Systolic BP, diastolic BP, weight, and fasting blood glucose concentrations decreased. The function of the lining of the blood vessels was assessed with ultrasound. The authors concluded that FIR Sauna treatment improved poor blood vessel functions and suggested a therapeutic role for FIR Sauna treatment in patients with coronary risk factors.”

10 obese subjects underwent 15-minute daily FIR Sauna sessions and followed an 1800 calorie per day diet for a 2-week period. The authors concluded, “We consider that repeated sauna therapy is useful in the treatment of obesity.”/p>

Conclusion

There is inconsistent data regarding the effects of FIR Sauna on weight loss, diastolic BP, and fasting blood glucose levels: some studies show benefit and others show no statistically significant benefit. There is no evidence to support the claim for cholesterol reduction; the published data have consistently found that sauna therapy does not lower cholesterol or triglyceride levels.