Effects of short-term exercise training in patients with heart failure

Heart failure is a debilitating disorder which limits exercise capacity and produces a poor quality of life. The present study was designed to determine the effects of an exercise training program on patients with CHF NYHA functional class II-III, attributed to left ventricular systolic dysfunction and dilated left ventricle. Twenty-two ambulatory male patients with stable CHF were randomised to a training (n = 15) and a control group (n = 7). A symptom limited ramp cardiopulmonary exercise test with gas exchange analysis was performed at baseline after 4 and 8 weeks. The training group underwent an exercise training program at 50% of peak oxygen uptake for eight weeks. The control group was not exercised. After 8 weeks, compared with baseline, there were statistically significant increase in peak oxygen uptake, peak workload, anaerobic threshold, oxygen pulse, RPP, ventilation and the duration of the test only in trained patients. The reduction in scores tested by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire (p < 0.001) and Borg dyspnea rating score (p < 0.001) reflect the reduction of symptoms and the improvement in health-related quality of life. Carefully selected patients with moderate to severe CHF can achieve significant improvements of exercise capacity and quality of life with exercise training and can safely participate in a conditioning program.