Scientists from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology have found that for many people with heart failure, controlled exercise is safe and can improve quality of life more than medications. Statement published in the newspaper Circulation.
Heart failure is a progressive condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms.
The scientists reviewed studies on the effects of controlled exercise in the United States on more than three million people with congestive heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
The studies evaluated various types of exercise, including walking, cycling, high-intensity interval training, strength training, and dancing, both in the gym and at home. The training was carried out three times a week under the supervision of a specialist.
During the experiments, the scientists measured the peak oxygen consumption, which is the total amount of oxygen a person can breathe into their lungs during exercise. In people with heart failure, peak oxygen consumption is on average 30% lower than in a healthy person. This makes it difficult to perform normal daily activities such as grocery shopping. Studies have shown that exercise increases peak oxygen consumption by 12-14%.
Exercise tolerance also improved, with a 21% increase in total training time. Participants’ quality of life was assessed using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 21 items, each evaluated on a scale from 0 to 5. Training increased the average result by 4-9 points.
The scientists noted that exercise helps improve the heart’s pumping ability, reduce blood vessel stiffness, and improve skeletal muscle function and energy capacity. Overall, supervised exercise therapy has been found to be more effective than most medications in improving patients’ quality of life.