Amelioration of ischemic cardiomyopathy in patients using physiological ischemic training

This study aimed to observe the effect and potential mechanism of physiological ischemic training (PIT) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

A total of 165 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy were randomly selected by the convenience sampling method and were divided into the control and experimental groups. The control group received conventional drug treatment, while the experimental group received additional PIT. All patients were followed up for 6 months and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAS) activity parameters and myocardial remodeling indicators were recorded.

After the 6‑month intervention, cardiac function indicators in the two groups were significantly improved compared with before intervention (all P < 0.01), but the experimental group showed significantly more improvement compared with the control group (all P < 0.01). Similarly, RAS activity parameters and myocardial remodeling indicators of the two groups were significantly reduced after intervention compared with before intervention (all P < 0.01). However, the experimental group showed significantly lower myocardial remodeling indicators than the control group (all P < 0.01). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in peripheral blood in the experimental group were significantly increased after intervention compared with before intervention (both P < 0.01).

PIT can be applied in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy on the basis of the original standardized drug treatment. PIT ameliorates cardiac blood flow reserve by increasing VEGF and NO concentrations in the peripheral blood, as well as by inhibiting the RAS system and myocardial remodeling. This ultimately improves the patient's cardiac function to a greater extent.