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 ?
Prevalence of left-ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure in the Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening study: a population based study
BACKGROUND Accurate data for prevalence rates for heart failure due to various causes , and for left-ventricular systolic dysfunction in all adults are unavailable . Our aim was to assess prevalence of left-ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure in a large representative adult population in Engl and . METHODS Of 6286 r and omly selected patients aged 45 years and older , 3960 ( 63 % ) participated in the study . They came from 16 r and omly selected general practice s. We assessed patients by  history and examination , electrocardiography , and echocardiography .  Prevalence of left-ventricular systolic dysfunction ( defined as ejection fraction < 40 % ) and heart failure was calculated for the overall population on the basis of strict criteria and , when necessary , adjudication by a panel . FINDINGS Left-ventricular systolic dysfunction was diagnosed in 72 ( 1.8 % [ 95 % CI 1.4 - 2.3 ] ) participants , half of whom had no symptoms . Borderline left-ventricular function ( ejection fraction 40 - 50 % ) was seen in 139 patients ( 3.5 % [ 3.0 - 4.1 ] ) . Definite heart failure was seen in 92 ( 2.3 % , [ 1.9 - 2.8 ] ) and was associated with an ejection fraction of less than 40 % in 38 ( 41 % ) patients , atrial fibrillation in 30 ( 33 % ) , and valve disease in 24 ( 26 % ) . Probable heart failure was seen in a further 32 ( 0.8 % [ 0.6 - 1.1 ] ) patients . In total , 124 ( 3.1 % [ 2.6 - 3.7 ] ) patients aged 45 years or older had definite or probable heart failure . INTERPRETATION Heart failure is often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed in primary care . Our results suggest that assessment of left-ventricular function in patients with suspected heart failure could lead to more effective diagnosis and treatment of this disorder
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 ?