NCT06319001

Cardiovascular Reactivity to Physical Stress

Cardiovascular Reactivity to Physical Stress: Strategies and Mechanisms

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 45 (actual)
• Sponsor: Western Norway University of Applied Sciences · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	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.
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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-02-19
• Primary completion: 2025-04-01
• Completion: 2025-04-01
• First posted: 2024-03-19
• Last updated: 2026-03-11

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Norway