Article

Exercise training is a non-pharmacological strategy for treatment of
heart failure. Exercise training improves functional capacity and quality of life
in patients. Moreover, exercise training reduces muscle sympathetic nerve
activity (MSNA) and peripheral vasoconstriction. However, most of these studies
have been conducted in middle-aged patients. Thus, the effects of exercise
training in older patients are much less understood. The present study was
undertaken to investigate whether exercise training improves functional capacity,
muscular sympathetic activation and muscular blood flow in older heart failure
patients, as it does in middle-aged heart failure patients. DESIGN: Fifty-two
consecutive outpatients with heart failure from the database of the Unit of
Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and Physiology Exercise were divided by age
(middle-aged, defined as 45-59 years, and older, defined as 60-75 years) and
exercise status (trained and untrained). METHODS: MSNA was recorded directly from
the peroneal nerve using the microneurography technique. Forearm Blood Flow (FBF)
was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography. Functional capacity was
evaluated by cardiopulmonary exercise test. RESULTS: Exercise training
significantly and similarly increased FBF and peak VO(2) in middle-aged and older
heart failure patients. In addition, exercise training significantly and
similarly reduced MSNA and forearm vascular resistance in these patients. No
significant changes were found in untrained patients. CONCLUSION: Exercise
training improves neurovascular control and functional capacity in heart failure
patients regardless of age.

Langue : ANGLAIS