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Warm baths are often considered dangerous for patients with congestive heart failure because of concern that they may induce hemodynamic instability. This study evaluated the hemodynamic impact of immersing 34 patients with chronic heart failure in a warm-water bath for 10 minutes at 41 degrees Centigrade or in a sauna for 15 minutes at 60 degrees. Indwelling catheters were used for detailed hemodynamic assessment. No patient experienced dyspnea, angina, or arrhythmia. After patients had either a sauna or warm water bath, average heart rates increased by 20 to 25 beats per minute, and diastolic blood pressure decreased slightly. However, systolic blood pressure did not decrease. Cardiac output increased, and average ejection fraction rose f…