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Hypoxic Therapy as a New Therapeutic Modality for Cardiovascular Benefit: A Mini Review
Hun-Young Park1,2, Sung-Woo Kim1, Won-Sang Jung1
1Department of Sports Medicine and Science, Graduate School, Konkuk University, 05029 Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Insights
Hypoxic therapy offers a novel approach to improving cardiovascular health by enhancing physiological functions and reducing the burden on the musculoskeletal system. This strategy shows promise for preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and improving overall heart health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Exercise Physiology
- Therapeutics
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of global mortality, often linked to modifiable lifestyle risk factors such as poor diet, obesity, and physical inactivity.
- Many adults do not meet exercise recommendations, and rising obesity rates exacerbate CVD prevalence and limit exercise participation due to musculoskeletal strain.
- Hypoxic therapy presents a potential intervention for cardiovascular benefit and amelioration of CVDs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of hypoxic therapy as a therapeutic modality for cardiovascular health.
- To investigate the physiological effects of hypoxic therapy relevant to cardiovascular disease prevention and management.
- To assess the applicability of hypoxic therapy in individuals with CVDs and obesity.
Main Methods:
- The study reviews existing literature on hypoxic therapy, including exposure and exercise interventions under hypoxic conditions.
- Physiological and pathophysiological properties associated with hypoxic therapy are examined.
- The impact of hypoxic therapy on cardiovascular function, metabolic processes, and musculoskeletal load is analyzed.
Main Results:
- Hypoxic therapy demonstrates effects such as appetite suppression, increased energy expenditure, improved glycogen storage, and enhanced fatty acid oxidation.
- It promotes myocardial angiogenesis, ventricular remodeling, and increased blood flow in skeletal muscle vascular beds.
- The therapy reduces musculoskeletal burden, making it suitable for patients with CVDs and obesity.
- Significant improvements in arterial function, vascular endothelial function, and hemorheological properties are observed.
Conclusions:
- Hypoxic therapy is a promising strategy for improving cardiovascular health and reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
- Its multifaceted physiological benefits make it particularly applicable to individuals with obesity and compromised cardiovascular function.
- Further research into hypoxic therapy could establish it as an essential component of cardiovascular disease prevention and management.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are recognized as one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Generally, most CVDs can be prevented by addressing behavioral risk factors, including smoking, unhealthy diet and obesity, lack of physical activity, and alcohol abuse. Therefore, it is important to have a healthy lifestyle by performing regular physical activity to improve cardiovascular health and diseases. However, a majority of adults worldwide do not meet the minimum recommendations for regular aerobic exercise, and overweight and obesity ratio continues to rise. In addition, obese individuals, with a high prevalence of CVDs, have a lower participation rate for exercise because of the strain on the musculoskeletal system. Hypoxic therapy, including exposure or exercise intervention under hypoxia, has been utilized as a new therapeutic modality for cardiovascular benefit and amelioration of CVDs. Hypoxic therapy shows various physiological and pathophysiological properties, including increased appetite suppression and dietary intake reduction, increased energy consumption, improved glycogen storage, enhanced fatty acid oxidation, improved myocardial angiogenesis or ventricular remodeling, augmentation of blood flow within the skeletal muscle vascular beds, and reduction of the burden on the musculoskeletal system making it applicable to patients with CVDs and obesity with attenuated cardiovascular function. In particular, hypoxic therapy is very effective in improving cardiovascular benefits and preventing CVDs by enhancing arterial function, vascular endothelial function, and hemorheological properties. These observations indicate that hypoxic therapy may be an important and essential strategy for improving cardiovascular health and reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
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