Exercise training in a patient with congestive heart failure on continuous dobutamine

We present a 53-yr-old man with congestive heart failure who underwent 32 wk of exercise training. The patient was on a continuous infusion of dobutamine for 10 months prior to exercise training, which was subsequently discontinued at wk 24 of exercise training. Symptom-limited graded exercise tests were performed at baseline, wk 12, wk 24, and wk 32 of exercise training. While on a continuous infusion of dobutamine, the patient's oxygen consumption and exercise duration were increased during the exercise training period. Additionally, the patient was able to maintain these changes for 8 wk while continuing to exercise after the discontinuation of the dobutamine therapy.