Cardiac exercise rehabilitation for heart failure:a review of the literature

摘要

The most common symptom of patients with heart failure is reduced exercise tolerance,as indicated by decreased peak oxygen uptake(VO2peak),which is associated with both reduced quality of life and survival.Cardiac rehabilitation is a safe and effective treatment for clinically stable patients with heart failure,and is associated with improvements in cardiopulmonary function,muscle strength,physical functional performance,and quality of life.Further,cardiac rehabilitation is associated with a reduction in heart failure hospitalization and mortality.Despite evidence of these benefits,cardiac rehabilitation referral and compliance among patients with heart failure remains low.In this review,we discuss exercise and training program selection for patients with heart failure,including optimal exercise training intensity,and a summary of recent literature on the use of cardiac rehabilitation for patients with heart failure.