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The effectiveness of 12 weeks home based exercise intervention in chronic heart failure patients

University of British Columbia

Heart failure is a chronic and progressive disorder that is a major public health problem in Canada that is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and frequent hospital admission and health care costs. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of a supervised home-based exercise training program involving a combination of interval and resistance training. Forty patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) were recruited, stratified (according body mass, aerobic fitness, age and CHF classification) and randomized to either control (CONT; n = 20) or experimental (EXP; n = 20) conditions. Measures of aerobic fitness (VOapeak (as a percentage of predicted)) and cardiorespiratory responses at anaerobic threshold measured by cardiopulmonary test using a cycle ergometer, endurance capacity using the 6-min walk test, and Quality of Life using Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, were taken at baseline and after 12-weeks. The EXP group underwent a 12-week interval and resistance training program. The CONT patients were asked to maintain usual activities of daily living. Twenty-nine patients completed the trial (CONT =15; EXP = 14). Statistical analysis showed significant improvements after 12 weeks of training in ' aerobic fitness (46 ± 9% vs. 54 ± 12%, respectively), endurance capacity (267 ± 39 m vs. 288 ± 45 m, respectively), and Quality of Life (50 ± 20 vs. 40 ± 17, respectively) in EXP. There were also significant improvement in VO2 peak, VCO2, tidal volume (Vt) and power output (PO) at ventilatory anaerobic threshold in EXP. There were no significant changes in CONT. A home-based rehabilitation program involving interval and resistance training is associated with improved aerobic capacity and Quality of Life in patients with CHF. This research has important implications for the treatment of CHF.

Text

2009-12-15

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/16695

Human Kinetics

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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