Open AccessThe effect of beta‐blockade therapy on the response to exercise training in postmyocardial infarction patients
Author(s) -
Pavia Leandro,
Orlando Gaspare,
Myers Jonathan,
Maestri Maurizia
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960181206
Subject(s) - medicine , metoprolol , myocardial infarction , ventilatory threshold , blockade , infarction , rehabilitation , cardiology , angina , beta blocker , physical therapy , anesthesia , vo2 max , heart rate , heart failure , blood pressure , receptor
Cardiac rehabilitation after a myocardial infarction has been shown to improve exercise capacity. Beta blockade has been shown to be effective in treating angina and reducing mortality, but studies are controversial as to whether beta‐blockade therapy attenuates the effects of training. We attempted to study the effects of beta blockade (metoprolol) on the response to training in patients enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program after an uncomplicated myocardial infarction. We studied 27 patients with a recent uncomplicated myocardial infarction who were subdivided in two groups: Group 1 (13 patients) not taking a beta blocker, and Group 2 (14 patients) taking metoprolol (mean 142 ± 57 mg daily). All patients underwent a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test before and after a 3‐month training program. The training intensity was designed to approximate the ventilatory threshold. Results showed an increase in peak VO 2 in both Group 1 (27%, p<0.01) and Group 2 (33%, p<0.001), and an increase in VO 2 at the ventilatory threshold (39% in Group 1 and 28% in Group 2, p<0.01). The mean changes in exercise capacity were not different between groups. It was concluded that metoprolol did not influence the beneficial effects of a cardiac rehabilitation program in postmyocardial infarction patients.