The Effect of Chronic Passive Heating on Insulin Sensitivity and Cardiovascular Function in People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pre- and Post-test Trial

Detailed Summary

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic condition characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and progressive insulin resistance, which progressively lead to macro- and microvascular damage and subsequent impairments in blood pressure (BP) control. Therapeutic approaches to manage T2DM focus on improving glycaemic control and BP and include pharmaceutical treatments (e.g. Metformin and insulin), physical activity and exercise, and calorie restriction. However, pharmaceutical interventions can be expensive and are associated with low adherence. Although exercise and diet programs have been shown to be effective, like pharmaceutical interventions, they often have poor adherence in people with T2DM. With the number of people with T2DM (464 million) continuing to rise and expected to reach 700 million by 2045, the costs associated with the clinical management of this condition are likely to become unsustainable. There is, therefore, a need to explore the potential of alternative interventions. In particular, interventions which may be cheaper than clinical management and have better adherence than exercise, and hypoglycemic agents, to improve glycemic control and deleterious cardiovascular manifestations of this condition. Passive heating may be one such intervention with therapeutic potential.

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Interventions