Abstract

ALDAMA PEREZ, Lázaro Isralys et al. Cardiovascular rehabilitation in patients with chronic heart failure of ischemic etiology. Rev Cubana Invest Bioméd [online]. 2012, vol.31, n.4, pp. 437-446. ISSN 0864-0300.

Introduction: despite the therapeutic progress achieved in our country, heart failure rates are still high, which is the final pathway toward cardiovascular disease. Objective: evaluate the efficacy of a cardiovascular rehabilitation program in patients with chronic heart failure of ischemic etiology. Methods: an observational analytical prospective study was conducted with 60 patients receiving conventional medical treatment at CIMEQ Hospital. Thirty of the patients underwent a rehabilitation program which included aerobic physical exercise and educational talks (active group). The remaining patients constituted the control group. Results: after six months the active group had achieved a decrease in basal heart rate of 10 lpm and of 10mm/hg and 5mm/hg in systolic and diastolic blood pressure values, respectively. The active group improved their exercise capacity measured as metabolic equivalents (7.6 ± 2 vs. 5.8 ± 2; p < 0.01) and their functional class in 100% versus 33 %; p < 0.05 without any significant differences in exercise time. Rehabilitated patients exhibited a 5 % left ventricular ejection fraction increase. Conclusions: patients with heart failure receiving physical exercise programs improve their cardiac function, their exercise tolerance and their functional class. They also achieve a greater reduction in blood pressure and basal heart rate. It is therefore necessary to strengthen cardiovascular rehabilitation programs and use them with these patients.

Keywords : cardiovascular rehabilitation; chronic heart failure.

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