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 ?
Home-based exercise improves functional performance and quality of life in women with diastolic heart failure.
BACKGROUND Diastolic heart failure ( DHF ) is common in older women . There have been no clinical trials that have identified therapies to improve symptoms in these patients . A total of 32 women with New York Heart Association class II and III DHF ( left ventricular ejection fraction > 45 % and symptoms of dyspnea or fatigue ) were r and omized into a 12-week home-based , low-to-moderate intensity ( 40 % and 60 % , respectively ) exercise and education program ( intervention ) or education only program ( control ) . Methods and results The intervention group improved in the 6-minute walk test from 840 + /- 366 ft to 1043 + /- 317 ft versus 824 + /- 367 ft to 732 + /- 408 ft in the control group ( P = .002 ) . Quality of life also improved in the intervention group compared with the control group as measured by the Living with Heart Failure Question naire ( 41 + /- 26 to 24 + /- 18 vs 27 + /- 18 to 28 + /- 22 at 12 weeks , P = .002 ; 24 + /- 18 to 19 + /- 18 vs 28 + /- 22 to 32 + /- 27 at the 3-month follow-up , P = .014 ) and the Geriatric Depression Scale ( 6 + /- 4 to 4 + /- 4 vs 5 + /- 3 to 7 + /- 5 at 12 weeks , P = .012 ; 4 + /- 4 to 4 + /- 4 vs 7 + /- 5 to 7 + /- 5 at the 3-month follow-up , P = .009 ) . CONCLUSIONS Women with DHF exhibit significant comorbidities and physical limitations . Home-based , low-to-moderate intensity exercise , in addition to education , is an effective strategy for improving the functional capacity and quality of life in women with DHF . Further study is needed to assess the long-term effect of exercise on clinical outcomes
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 ?