Water immersion in chronic stable heart failure - IMMERSE HF
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Water immersion and water-based exercise in patients with chronic stable heart failure: A pilot study
IRAS ID
195349
Contact name
Andrew Clark
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study aims to investigate the effects of water immersion and exercise on heart function and blood flow in patients with chronic stable heart failure.
For patients with heart failure it is important to exercise regularly, as there is a lot of evidence to suggest that exercise has many benefits for patients with chronic heart failure. Because of this, medical guidelines suggest regular exercise and even participating in specific cardiac rehabilitation programmes for patients with heart failure.
Hydrotherapy and water based exercises are used in many rehabilitation programmes and swimming is often advised as a good form of exercise. However, some heart failure guidelines advise other forms of exercise rather than swimming for patients with heart failure, because of the pressure effects of water immersion on blood flow and subsequently heart function. Despite this, more recent research has suggested that swimming is not only safe but actually beneficial for patients who have heart failure.
It is therefore important for us to look further at the effects of water immersion and exercise on heart function in patients with heart failure.After an initial screening interview, only one visit will be required per participant. The visit will involve having baseline tests (heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, blood and urine sampling and a physical examination). Participants will be asked to rest on a hoist bed, have a scan of the heart (echocardiogram) and then be attached to non invasive monitoring equipment. The participant will be hoisted into the pool on the bed up to neck level. There will be continuous non-invasive monitoring whilst the patient is immersed and during simple exercise and an echocardiogram will be conducted during immersion and exercise. The participant will then be hoisted out of the pool with continuous monitoring and blood and urine tests will be repeated.
REC name
North East - York Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NE/0194
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion