Abstract
In Japan, bathing is very popular across all age categories. It is estimated that around 3, 000 elder people die annually during bathing. The definite causes of those deaths have not been fully understood. We investigated the effects of bathing on the elderly especially regarding cardiopulmonary functions. We studied 12 apparently healthy elder volunteers (6 males, 70 ± 5 y). The subjects took baths at different temperatures (41°C, 38°C) on separate days. We assessed the changes of blood pressure (BP), pressure-rate product (PRP), oxygen saturation (Spo2), tympanic temperature (Ttymp), and Holter ECG. In 38°C-bath immersion, none of the cardiopulmonary indices changed significantly. In contrast, 41°C-bath immersion significantly increased BP, PRP, and Ttymp, suggesting that bathing of higher temperature may give more stress to the cardiopulmonary system. In the elderly with diseases, bathing with hot water would have a greater effect than on healthy or younger people.
