Effect of High Interval Training in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients with Drug-Eluting Stent

OBJECTIVE: Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) is a strong predictor of survival in cardiac patients. The aims of this study were to compare the effects of high interval training (HIT) to moderate continuous training (MCT) on VO2peak and to identify the safety of HIT in acute myocardial infarction patients with drug-eluting stent. DESIGN: Twenty-eight acute myocardial infarction patients with drug-eluting stent were randomized to either HIT at 85%-95 % of heart rate reserve or MCT at 70%-85% of heart rate reserve, 3 days a week for 6 wks at a cardiac rehabilitation clinic. Primary outcome was VO2peak at baseline and after cardiac rehabilitation. RESULTS: Both HIT and MCT groups showed significant increases in VO2peak and heart rate recovery after 6 wks of training. The 22.16% improvement in VO2peak in the HIT group was significantly greater than the 8.48% improvement in the MCT group (P = 0.021). There were no cardiovascular events related to both HIT and MCT. CONCLUSIONS: HIT is more effective than MCT for improving VO2peak in acute myocardial infarction patients with drug-eluting stent. These findings may have important implications for more effective exercise training in cardiac rehabilitation program.