Beneficial effects of moderate heating on cardiovascular control in heart failure

This project examined the muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) response to heat stress and exercise in chronic heart failure (CHF). These data suggest that the MSNA response to heat stress is attenuated in CHF patients. The mild/moderate whole body heating induces a decrease in resting MSNA in CHF patients. Whole-body heat stress attenuated the blood pressure and sympathetic nerve responses to mechanoreceptor stimulation. The additional studies also show that radiofrequency catheter ablation (heating-induced coagulation necrosis) raised cardiac parasympathetic activity and decreased MSNA during the procedure. One day post-ablation, MSNA rose, cardiac parasympathetic activity fell. This project was supported by American Heart Association Grant 15GRNT24480051.