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Exercise, cardiovascular disease, and chronic heart failure
1Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|March 10, 2001
Summary
High-risk patients with severe congestive heart failure can now benefit from cardiac rehabilitation programs. Exercise training improves physiological and psychological health, enhancing quality of life and exercise tolerance.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Exercise Physiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Traditionally, patients with severe congestive heart failure (CHF) were excluded from cardiac rehabilitation.
- Recent advancements allow safe inclusion of high-risk CHF patients in rehabilitation programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation for patients with CHF.
- To explore the evolving role of exercise in managing CHF.
Main Methods:
- Review of emerging data on exercise training in CHF patients.
- Assessment of therapeutic approaches and clinical characteristics.
Main Results:
- Exercise training demonstrates significant improvements in neural control, quality of life, and exercise tolerance.
- Benefits extend to ventricular function, skeletal muscle physiology, peripheral blood flow, and endothelial function.
- Resistive exercise, higher-intensity programs, and interval training are safely implemented.
Conclusions:
- Cardiac rehabilitation is beneficial for high-risk CHF patients, contrary to traditional exclusion.
- Exercise training offers a multifaceted approach to improving physiological and psychological outcomes in CHF.