Experimental Physiology | 2021
The effect of heat therapy on blood pressure and peripheral vascular function: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Abstract
What is the topic of this review? We have conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis on the current evidence for the effect of heat therapy on blood pressure and vascular function. What advances does it highlight? We found that heat therapy reduced mean arterial, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. We also observed that heat therapy improved vascular function, as assessed via brachial artery flow‐mediated dilatation. Our results suggest that heat therapy is a promising therapeutic tool that should be optimized further, via mode and dose, for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease risk factors.