[Training in chronic heart failure to improve the quality of life]

Persons with chronic heart failure should be recommended aerobic and resistance exercise to be able to increase maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), walking distance, and health related quality of life (moderately strong scientific evidence - quality of evidence +++), and to reduce mortality and hospital admissions and increase muscle strength and endurance (low scientific evidence - quality of evidence ++). Prescription of exercise in chronic heart failure should always be preceded of assessments of aerobic and muscular fitness. The aerobic exercise could be conducted as continuous or interval exercise. In connection with ongoing exercise special attention is needed regarding heart rate, diverging blood pressure reactions, contingent occurrence of arrhythmias and the advent of symptoms such as dizziness and severe dyspnea.