Non-pharmacological interventions for vascular health and the role of the endothelium.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of mechanisms and non-pharmacological interventions without systematic review methodology.
PubMed 36149520 · doi:10.1007/s00421-022-05041-y
What was done
This narrative review synthesized current evidence on non-pharmacological approaches to peripheral and cerebral vascular health, including exercise training, repeated ischemic preconditioning, heat therapy (sauna and hot water bathing), and pneumatic compression, focusing on the mechanistic role of endothelial adaptation to blood flow.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical findings or effect sizes. It qualitatively describes that these modalities acutely elevate blood flow and circulating signaling factors, which together drive chronic adaptations in endothelium-dependent vascular function.
Why it matters
Clarifying the blood flow-dependent mechanisms shared across exercise and passive vascular therapies helps guide non-drug strategies to preserve vascular function across the lifespan.
Limits
As a narrative review, it presents no quantitative meta-analysis, systematic screening protocol, or risk-of-bias evaluation. The abstract notes that precise underlying mechanisms in humans remain incompletely understood.
Cited by
- supports Deliberate heat exposure through a sauna or hot tub mimics the physiological cardiovascular response of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise.