Effects of physical training of chronic cardiac insuffciency
Gielen, S.; Hambrecht, R.
MMW Fortschritte der Medizin 147(35-36): 26-29
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 1438-3276 PMID: 16180568 Document Number: 592037
During the last ten years,the traditional dogma "physical rest" for patients with chronic cardiac insufficiency (CCI) has been increasingly abandoned. Studies on the effects of low intensity physical endurance training for patients with stable CCI showed the following effects after 12 months: Decrease in the heart size and a slight improvement in the EF, reduction of the systemic vascular resistance during rest and during stress through improvement of the endothelial function, increase in the physical performance by 12 to 26%, reduction of local inflammation and improvement of the oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscles, an end to muscle atrophy and reduction of the total mortality. Training programs for patients with chronic cardiac insufficiency today represent an established auxiliary therapy for CCI with prognostic relevance.