Effects of Exercise Training on the Recovery of the Autonomic Nervous System and Exercise Capacity After Acute Myocardial Infarction

28 patients (mean age 59.0±6.0 years) in the first week after the onset of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). 25 underwent direct PTCA/PTCR and 3 underwent conservative therapy. Excluded: severe heart failure, arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, bundle branch block, frequent extrasystole), or ST depression more than 0.2 mV during an exercise test.

Supervised aerobic exercise training using a cycle ergometer at the anaerobic threshold level for 30 minutes, twice daily for 2 weeks.

Control group permitted only walking exercise according to a conventional rehabilitation protocol.

Recovery of the autonomic nervous system (heart rate variability, plasma norepinephrine levels), cardiac function (cardiac index during exercise), and exercise capacity (peak oxygen uptake) measured at 1 week, 3 weeks, and 3 months after AMI onset.surrogate