Home-based exercise increased exercise capacity safely but did not improve quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure .
It could therefore be used to improve the management of people with chronic heart failure who do not have access to hospital-based exercise
QUESTIONS Does home-based exercise improve exercise capacity and quality of life in people with chronic heart failure ?
Is it safe ?
Effects of a home walking exercise program on functional status and symptoms in heart failure.
BACKGROUND Hospital-based exercise programs using a bicycle ergometer or a combination of exercise modalities have shown positive benefits in heart failure , but may not be readily accessible to many patients . Thus , we sought to evaluate the effects of a 12-week home walking exercise program on functional status and symptoms in patients with heart failure . METHODS A r and omized controlled trial comparing a 12-week progressive home walking exercise program ( n = 42 ) to a " usual activity " control group ( n = 37 ) was conducted in patients with heart failure ( 78 [ 99 % ] male ; mean age 62.6 + /- 10.6 years ; ejection fraction 27 % + /- 8.8 % ; 63 [ 80 % ] New York Heart Association class II ; 15[20 % ] New York Heart Association class III-IV ) from a Veterans Affairs medical center and a university-affiliated medical center .  Functional status ( peak oxygen consumption via cardiopulmonary exercise testing , 6-minute walk test , the Heart Failure Functional Status Inventory ) , and symptoms ( Dyspnea-Fatigue Index score with a postglobal rating of symptoms ) were measured at baseline and 12 weeks . RESULTS No adverse events related to exercise training occurred . Overall mean compliance to training was 74 + /- 37 % . Peak oxygen consumption and the Heart Failure Functional Status Inventory were unchanged with training . Compared to the usual activity group , the training group had significantly longer walking distances measured by the 6-minute walk test ( 1264 + /- 255 vs 1337 + /- 272 feet , P = .001 ) , and improved postglobal rating of symptoms ( P = .03 ) . CONCLUSION In patients with heart failure , a progressive home walking exercise program is acceptable , increases walking distance , and decreases global rating of symptoms
Home-based exercise increased exercise capacity safely but did not improve quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure .
It could therefore be used to improve the management of people with chronic heart failure who do not have access to hospital-based exercise
QUESTIONS Does home-based exercise improve exercise capacity and quality of life in people with chronic heart failure ?
Is it safe ?