Exercise in the Management of Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is becoming more prevalent as treatment of hypertension and other underlying diseases prolongs survival, while the aging of the population increases the number of people at risk. HF has long been thought to be a disease whose prognosis is driven solely by pump function. However, the correlation between cardiac output and functional status is not strong, and recent data have disclosed a strong effect of HF on skeletal as well as cardiac muscle. This has led to re‐examination of the notion that enforced rest is central to treatment of HF. Recent data indicate that exercise can markedly improve skeletal muscle strength and endurance, as well as overall functional status, without directly affecting cardiac function. Clinicians should incorporate exercise training into the routine care of patients with HF.