[Physical rehabilitation of patients suffering from chronic heart failure]

A BENEFICIAL METHOD: Heart failure combines with peripheral vascular and muscular abnormalities that can be effectively improved by rehabilitation. The data in the literature appears to demonstrate the efficacy and excellent tolerance of such exercise. Regarding functional results and improved quality of life, rehabilitation is as equally efficient as the medical treatment that it completes. It can currently be proposed to the majority of patients exhibiting left ventricular systolic dysfunction and who are are only partially improved with medical treatment alone. MODALITIES: The rehabilitation of heart failure must, optimally, be set-up in ambulatory settings, notably within the context of a health care network. Its modalities remain to be specified in on-going studies and its impact on prognosis has to be determined.