The effect of heat therapy on blood pressure and peripheral vascular function: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Design

• SR + MA; 15 included studies after screening 4522 titles (search through Sep 2020)
• Intervention: passive heat sessions (≈30–90 min) over ≈10–36 exposures (sauna / hot bath / water immersion trials)
• GRADE: moderate certainty for BP and HR domains in abstract framing

Pooled vs control (abstract MD [95% CI])

• Mean arterial pressure (n = 4): −5.86 mmHg (−8.63 to −3.10; P < 0.0001)
• Systolic BP (n = 10): −3.94 mmHg (−7.22 to −0.67; P = 0.02)
• Diastolic BP (n = 9): −3.88 mmHg (−6.13 to −1.63; P = 0.0007)
• Flow-mediated dilation (n = 5): +1.95% (0.14 to 3.76; P = 0.03)
• Resting HR (n = 10): −1.25 bpm (−3.20 to 0.70; P = 0.21) — not statistically significant

Evidence hygiene

Heterogeneous modes/doses; pooled samples mix healthy and clinical participants—pair with Finnish sauna cohort rows for long-term outcomes, not as duplicate proof.

Publication

Pizzey FK, et al. Exp Physiol. 2021 Jun 106(6):1317-1334. doi: 10.1113/EP089904. PMID 33866630.