Exercise training increased exercise test duration and improved quality of life equally in chronic heart failure patients aged younger than and older than 65 years.
RCT
randomly assigned
Does exercise training improve exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure, specifically comparing those older and younger than 65 years?
Exercise training is equally effective at improving exercise capacity and quality of life in chronic heart failure patients regardless of whether they are older or younger than 65 years.
BACKGROUND: Physical training currently constitutes an important part of treatment of heart failure patients. So far, no data are available on the effects of regular exercise in elderly (aged > 65 years) heart failure patients. METHODS: In a prospective trial, patients with chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association class II and III) were randomly assigned to a training group and a control group. Patients in the training group performed additional exercises three times a week, while patients in the control group continued regular treatment. To analyse the influence of age, both groups were subdivided into subjects younger than and older than 65 years. The effect of training on exercise parameters was evaluated by means of a treadmill test. Quality of life aspects were evaluated with the help of the Heart Patients Psychological Questionnaire and a single-question Self Awareness of General Well-Being test. RESULTS: Comparison of changes between groups revealed that training increased the duration of the exercise test and improved aspects of quality of life in the trained patients aged both younger than and older than 65 years. CONCLUSION: Exercise training is equally effective in patients aged younger than and older than 65 years.
Wielenga et al. (Thu,) conducted a rct in chronic heart failure. Exercise training vs. regular treatment was evaluated on duration of the exercise test and quality of life. Exercise training increased exercise test duration and improved quality of life equally in chronic heart failure patients aged younger than and older than 65 years.