Exercise training in post-myocardial infarction patients: comparison of results with high risk coronary and...

Measurements were made before and following 3 to 6 months of exercise therapy in 24 patients who had had myocardial infarction (group MI), in 16 patients having positive test and/or multiple risk factors for coronary heart disease (Group CHD), and in 10 patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery (Group CAB). All patients were men and had a mean age of 51.6 years. Exercise training was conducted 3 times per week for a duration of 20 to 40 minutes per session. Walking and jogging both on a treadmill and a track and stationary cycling were used as training modalities. A paired t test was used to determine significance of differences between pre- and post-treatment results for each group. Percent body fat decreased in each group and aerobic capacity increased significantly (p less than 0.01) in all 3 groups (6.2 ml/kg . min-1 in MI, 7.0 ml/kg . min-1) in CHD, and 8.0 ml/kg . min-1 in CAB). Changes in other exercise related variables were found not to be statistically significant. Analysis of variance yielded no difference among the 3 groups for any of the variables evaluated. The results clearly indicate that the trainability of the MI patient is equivalent to that of the cardiac patient who has not suffered an infarct and to that of the post-CAB patient.