Exercise Training in Heart Failure Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: a Practical Approach

Persistent AF is present in at least 20 % of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and is related to a poor prognosis and more severe cardiac arrhythmias. CHF and AF share a common pathophysiology and can exacerbate one another. Exercise programmes for people with CHF have been shown to improve aerobic capacity, prognosis and quality of life. Given that patients with both CHF and AF show greater impairment in exercise performance, exercise training programmes have the potential to be highly beneficial. Optimal clinical evaluation using a cardiopulmonary exercise test should be performed before starting a training programme. Heart rate should be calculated over a longer period of time In patients with CHF and AF than those in sinus rhythm. The use of telemetry is advised to measure HR accurately during training. If telemetry is not available, patients can be safely trained based on the concomitant workload. An aerobic exercise training programme of moderate to high intensity, whether or not combined with strength training, is advised in patients with CHF and AF. Optimal training modalities and their intensity require further investigation.