Resistance training increased 6-minute walk distance compared to no training , but had no other benefits on cardiac function , exercise capacity , or quality of life if used alone or as an adjunct to aerobic training in people with chronic heart failure .
QUESTION Does resistance training , either alone or as an adjunct to aerobic training , improve cardiac function , exercise capacity and quality of life in people with chronic heart failure ?
Exercise capacity, physical activity patterns and outcomes six years after cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure
Objective : To determine the short- and long-term effects of an intensive , concentrated rehabilitation programme in patients with chronic heart failure . Design : R and omized controlled trial , with one-month and six-year evaluations . Setting : Residential rehabilitation centre in Switzerl and . Subjects : Fifty patients with chronic heart failure , r and omized to exercise or control groups . Interventions : A rehabilitation programme lasting one month , including educational sessions , a low-fat diet , and 2 hours of individually prescribed exercise daily . Main measures : Exercise test responses , health outcomes and physical activity patterns . Results : Peak Vo2 increased 21.4 % in the exercise group during the rehabilitation programme ( P<0.05 ) , whereas peak Vo2 did not change among controls . After the six-year follow-up period , peak Vo2 was only slightly higher than that at baseline in the trained group ( 7 % , NS ) , while peak Vo2 among controls was unchanged . During long-term follow-up , 9 and 12 patients died in the exercise and control groups , respectively ( P = 0.63 ) . At six years , physical activity patterns tended to be higher in the exercise group ; the mean energy expenditure values over the last year were 2704 ± 1970 and 2085 ± 1522 kcal/week during recreational activities for the exercise and control groups , respectively . However , both groups were more active compared to energy expenditure prior to their cardiac event ( P<0.001 ) . Conclusions : Six years after participation in a residential rehabilitation programme , patients with chronic heart failure had slightly better outcomes than control subjects , maintained exercise capacity and engaged in activities that exceed the minimal amount recommended by guidelines for cardiovascular health
Resistance training increased 6-minute walk distance compared to no training , but had no other benefits on cardiac function , exercise capacity , or quality of life if used alone or as an adjunct to aerobic training in people with chronic heart failure .
QUESTION Does resistance training , either alone or as an adjunct to aerobic training , improve cardiac function , exercise capacity and quality of life in people with chronic heart failure ?