Cardiovascular Reactivity to Physical Stress

NCT ID: NCT06319001

Last Updated: 2024-03-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 58 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-02-19
• Study Completion Date: 2027-01-01

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.

Conditions

Blood Pressure; Stress, Physiological

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Positive stress education (PSE)

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.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Low-volume high intensity exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

This intervention will consist of 10 x 10-second interval sprints on a stationary bicycle interspersed with 50-second breaks between repetitions. The cycle resistance will be adjusted to the level equaling the highest power output, which will be determined during warm-up sprints.

Combined intermittent sauna and cold water bath (sauna+cold bath).

Intervention Type: OTHER

This intervention will consist of 3x10 min bouts in the dry sauna interspersed with 2x 60 seconds of cold water immersion up to the neck.

Neutral control

To control for the PSE intervention, the participants will receive 15 min of neutral information about the effects of physical exercise on cardiovascular fitness.

Group Type: SHAM_COMPARATOR

Low-volume high intensity exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

This intervention will consist of 10 x 10-second interval sprints on a stationary bicycle interspersed with 50-second breaks between repetitions. The cycle resistance will be adjusted to the level equaling the highest power output, which will be determined during warm-up sprints.

Combined intermittent sauna and cold water bath (sauna+cold bath).

Intervention Type: OTHER

This intervention will consist of 3x10 min bouts in the dry sauna interspersed with 2x 60 seconds of cold water immersion up to the neck.

Interventions

Low-volume high intensity exercise

This intervention will consist of 10 x 10-second interval sprints on a stationary bicycle interspersed with 50-second breaks between repetitions. The cycle resistance will be adjusted to the level equaling the highest power output, which will be determined during warm-up sprints.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Combined intermittent sauna and cold water bath (sauna+cold bath).

This intervention will consist of 3x10 min bouts in the dry sauna interspersed with 2x 60 seconds of cold water immersion up to the neck.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Ann-Katrin Grotle

Associate professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Bergen, Vestland, Norway

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Norway

Central Contacts

Ann-Katrin Grotle, PhD

Role: CONTACT

ann-katrin.grotle@hvl.no

+4790960580

Hege R Eriksen, PhD

Role: CONTACT

hege.randi.eriksen@hvl.no

Facility Contacts

Ann-Katrin Grotle

Role: primary

ann-katrin.grotle@hvl.no

+4790960580

Other Identifiers

2688791

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id