Hemodynamic responses and activity tolerance to stair climbing during the second week post-myocardial infarction

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic responses and activity tolerance to stair climbing of second week post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Forty MI patients were stratified into beta-blocker medication users and non-users and randomly assigned to the experimental or control conditions. The 21 experimental subjects performed a walk/stair climb, and the 19 control subjects, a walk/stand activity protocol. Changes in heart rate and blood pressure from before, to immediately after both the walk/stair and walk/stand activity protocols were clinically small. No significant differences existed in the distribution of hemodynamic signs among the experimental and control subjects. However, proportionately more experimental than control subjects had symptoms of activity intolerance (7/21 vs 1/19; p less than 0.05). No correlation existed between activity (in) tolerance and either days post-MI or time required for stair climbing. Based upon these preliminary findings, assessment of tolerance to stair climbing activities is warranted during the second week post-MI.