[Thermal therapy for the management of cardiovascular pathology].

This paper reports the results of analysis of the study on the effect of thermal therapy in the patients presenting with cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, and myocardial infarction. It is shown that the correct application of the "Finnish" and infrared sauna taking into consideration specific clinical characteristics of the disease in question and with strict compliance to the relevant methodological recommendations can produce beneficial effects in the form of the improved endothelial function, reduced heart rate variability and oxidative stress as well as enhanced physical performance. It is concluded that full-scale studies in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine are needed to further improve the effectiveness of the thermal treatment of cardiovascular diseases and the reliability of the data obtained.

[Carbon dioxide baths: state of the art].

Modern concepts of the mechanism of therapeutic action of carbon dioxide are reviewed with special reference to its effects on the patients with different pathologies undergoing treatment with the use of carbon dioxide baths. Further prospects for practical application of this method are discussed.

[Spa-based water procedures and complications in the course of their performance].

The scope of applications of spa-based water procedures have become considerably extended during the recent years; accordingly, the frequency of complications and accidents has increased. The present review considers the possible mechanisms underlying such complications and various factors promoting their development, such as the patients' age and chronic diseases, the use of pharmaceutical products affecting thermoregulation and cardiovascular function. Special attention is given to the influence of alcohol consumption on the frequency of complications, accidents, and sudden death associated with hyperthermal procedures, the possibility of infectious diseases and measures necessary for their prevention.

[Effects of carbon dioxide baths and exercise on physical performance of patients with left ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction]. / Vliianie uglekislykh vann i fizicheskikh trenirovok na fizicheskuiu rabotosposobnost' bol'nykh posle infarkta miokarda s narushennoi funktsiei levogo zheludochka.

Carbon dioxide baths (CDB) and exercise have a good effect on clinical indices of the postinfarction period in patients suffering from postinfarction cardiosclerosis with impaired left ventricular function, especially in combined use. Patients on general CDB and/or exercise exhibited a significant increase in time of exercise and power of the threshold load, less frequent occurrence of ischemic depression of ST segment and dyspnea in performing bicycle exercise. CDB and exercise are especially beneficial for patients with systolic dysfunction.

[Effect of general carbon dioxide baths on processes of remodeling and diastolic function of the heart in patients with ischemic heart disease after myocardial infarction]. / Vliianie obshchikh uglekislykh vann na protsessy remodelirovaniia i diastolicheskuiu funktsiiu serdtsa u bol'nykh ishemicheskoi bolezn'iu serdtsa posle infarkta miokarda.

The trial included 63 postmyocardial infarction (PMI) men aged 40-65 years with cardiac failure (CF) NYHA functional class I-II and/or left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction. The patients were randomized into two groups: the study group and the controls. The former received medication plus carbon dioxide baths, the latter received medication only. As shown by two-dimensional echocardiography there were no significant differences between the groups by LV function, volume, myocardial mass. In patients of the study group, ejection fraction increased in 75% patients, in controls--in 62%. In those who have taken baths ejection fraction increased if it was low before the treatment. Transmitral blood flow measured with spectral dopplerography indicated significant changes in diastolic function in the study group. Thus, balneotherapy with carbon dioxide baths significantly improves LV diastolic function and myocardial contractility in patients with impaired LV systolic function.

[Effect of general carbon dioxide baths and physical exercise on parameters of 24-hour monitoring of EKG and cardiac rhythm variability in postmyocardial infarction patients]. / Vliianie obshchikh uglekislykh vann i fizicheskikh trenirovok na pokazateli sutochnogo monitorirovaniia EKG i variabel'nost' ritma serdtsa u bol'nykh posle infarkta miokarda.

Myocardial infarction survivors took general carbon dioxide baths and/or did therapeutic exercises. Compared to controls, all these patients experienced a significantly less number and duration of episodes of ST-segment ischemic depressions detected at 24-h ECG monitoring while significant differences by cardiac rhythm variability before and after the treatment were not registered though the test group showed the trend to normalization of the heart rhythm.