[The value of physical training as a preventive measure in chronic ischemic heart disease]

A critical valuation of the hitherto achieved results concerning the problems of the influence of a permanent training on the course of the chronic ischaemic heart disease with the following result is performed: -A perseverance training which was begun in adolescence and permanently continued allows to expect a genuine preventive effect concerning the chronic ischaemic heart disease, though not in every case. Moreover it certainly contributes to retard temporarily the beginning of the chronic ischaemic heart disease and to restrict the sequels of a myocardial infarction. -When a chronic ischaemic heart disease exists no effects on the arteriosclerosis in general and the sclerosis of the coronary arteries in particular is to be expected. These show a progredience which cannot be influenced by training. -Also the effects on the myocardium, particularly on the formation of collaterals and the evoking of adaptive effects in the myocardiac cell itself are not to be expected, when the chronic ischaemic heart disease has already developed. Nevertheless, under this condition a perseverance training seems to be not fully hopeless, since through peripheral effects and general effects secondary effects on the heart are possible.