Leg heat therapy shows promise for heart failure patients

NCT ID NCT06388226

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: Indiana University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether daily leg heat therapy can help people with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) exercise longer and feel better. Participants wear water-circulating trousers heated to 42°C for 90 minutes each day at home. The goal is to see if this improves muscle function and exercise tolerance compared to a sham treatment. The study enrolls 90 adults aged 18 and older with a confirmed HFpEF diagnosis.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Leg heat therapy using water-circulating trousers heated to 42°C
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a simple, home-based way to improve exercise capacity and quality of life for people with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
What could go wrong: This is a small pilot study with only 90 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The treatment is non-invasive and low-risk, but it may not provide meaningful improvement over the sham therapy.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

diastolic heart failure

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION

Contacts and locations

Locations

IU Health Methodist
RECRUITING

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
IU Health University Hospital
RECRUITING

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States

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