Article

PURPOSE: To compare exercise capacity and cardiovascular response to exercise in
elderly individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) who attend ongoing
community-based maintenance cardiac rehabilitation (CR) versus age- and
gender-matched healthy "very active" (HVA; >/= 2000 kcal/week) and healthy "less
active" (HLA; <2000 kcal/week) individuals. METHOD: Sixty-three participants
(age: 72.3 +/- 5.1 years; 62% men; n = 21 per group) completed the following
assessments: (1) symptom-limited graded exercise test with expired gas analysis
and bioimpedance assessment of cardiovascular function during exercise; (2)
walking tests; (3) physical function; (4) anthropometry and (5) 12-month physical
activity recall. RESULTS: The CR group achieved 98% (range: 73-154%) of age- and
gender-predicted peak oxygen consumption for healthy individuals. Peak oxygen
consumption was lower in CR compared to HVA but not HLA group (VO2peak: CR: 19.0
+/- 4.5, HVA: 23.7 +/- 2.9, HLA: 20.7 +/- 4.7 ml .kg(-1)cmin(-1), p = 0.001
versus HVA; p = 0.390 versus HLA). Peak heart rate was lower in CR compared to
both HVA and HLA. Walking test results and cardiovascular and physical function
were not different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly individuals with CAD
participating in maintenance CR have similar exercise capacity and
cardiorespiratory response to exercise compared to their age- and gender-matched
less active healthy peers. The findings support referral of elderly patients to
community-based CR. Implications for Rehabilitation Fitness benefits of long-term
maintenance cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs remain unknown. Elderly
individuals with coronary artery disease participating in maintenance CR have
exercise capacity and cardiorespiratory response to exercise similar to their
less active healthy peers. Maintenance CR may play an important role prolonging
independent living in elderly individuals.

Langue : ANGLAIS