Comparison of high- and low-intensity exercise training early after acute myocardial infarction

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology Vol. 61; no. 1; pp. 26 - 30
• Main Authors: Blumenthal, James A., Rejeski, W.Jack, Walsh-Riddle, Margaret, Emery, Charles F., Miller, Henry, Roark, Steven, Ribisl, Paul M., Morris, Pamela B., Brubaker, Peter, Williams, R.Sanders
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 1988; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure; Cardiology. Vascular system; Coronary heart disease; Exercise Therapy; Heart; Heart Rate; Humans; Lipids - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction - physiopathology; Myocardial Infarction - rehabilitation; Oxygen Consumption; Patient Compliance; Random Allocation; Stroke Volume; Human; Physical training; Infarct; Acute; Myocardium; Various treatments; Cardiovascular disease; Coronary heart disease
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-9149(88)91298-2

The effects of the intensity of exercise training on cardiorespiratory variables were investigated in a consecutive series of men with recent (median 8 weeks) acute myocardial infarction. Forty-five patients were randomly assigned either to a high-(65 to 75% maximum oxygen consumption rate [VO 2max]) or to a low-intensity (<45% VO 2max) exercise group. Patients engaged in medically supervised aerobic training 3 sessions a week for 12 weeks. With training, mean VO 2max significantly increased by 11% (2.09 to 2.31 liters/min) within the high group and by 14% (1.93 to 2.21 liters /min) within the low group. Differences between groups were not statistically significant. Bom groups also had comparable changes in heart rate, blood pressure and double-product at submaximal and maximal workloads. Analysis of blood lipids revealed that both groups experienced a significant increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol. There were no significant changes in total serum cholesterol or triglycerides. These findings suggest that within an unselected population of patients after acute myocardial infarction referred for cardiac rehabilitation, low- and high-intensity exercise training produces relatively similar changes in cardiorespiratory variables during the initial 3 months of exercise training.