Influence of Locomotor Muscle Metaboreceptor Stimulation on the Ventilatory Response to Exercise in Heart Failure

11 patients with heart failure (mean age 51+/-5 years, ejection fraction 32+/-3%, NYHA class 1.6+/-0.2) and 11 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (mean age 43+/-3 years). Total n=22.

Regional circulatory occlusion (bilateral thigh tourniquets inflated to suprasystolic pressure at end exercise for 2 minutes) with and without the addition of inspired CO2 to maintain end-exercise partial pressure of end-tidal CO2.

Baseline control trial (steady-state cycling without tourniquet occlusion) and healthy control group comparisons.

Minute ventilation at 2 minutes postexercise (expressed as a percentage of end-exercise minute ventilation).surrogate