title: Acute effects of water immersion on heart rate variability in participants with heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Water immersion and aquatic exercise can be an important therapeutic tool in patients suffering from heart disease (HD). However, the effects of water immersion on heart rate variability (HRV) in HD participants remain unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight volunteers in sinus rhythm within the same age range took part in this study: 18 HD and ten healthy controls (HC). Heart rhythm was collected with a heart rate monitor (sampling rate 1000 Hz) for periods of 10 min at rest in the supine position on land, standing on land (STL) and standing in water (STW) to the xiphoid process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heart disease participants had the same response as HC participants to the three experimental conditions (no significant between-group differences in all HRV variables). STW (immersion) caused in both groups to increase HRV when compared to supine and STL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heart disease participants demonstrate similar beneficial adaptations as HC participants to the effects of immersion, reinforcing the concept that immersion can be a valuable aquatic cardiac rehabilitation tool to acutely increase HRV. Approaches that improve HRV in both healthy and cardiac patients may have a positive impact on the reduction of morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrée
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dionne
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Program, University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC, Canada.|Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Quality and Healthy Lifestyle, University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goulet
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Activity Sciences, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Andrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pérusse
authors.affiliation: Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Quality and Healthy Lifestyle, University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC, Canada.|Department of Physical Activity Sciences, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Alain-Steve
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Comtois
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000368:Aged; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D008875:Middle Aged; D016683:Supine Position; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: cardiac failure; heart disease; heart rate variability; rehabilitation; water immersion