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Four weeks of residential cardiac rehabilitation reduces NT‐proBNP and improves fitness
Author(s) -
Crouse Stephen F.,
Berent Robert,
vonDuvillard Serge P.,
Green John S.,
Schmid Peter,
Auer Johann,
Sinzinger Helmut
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.1175.1
Subject(s) - medicine , blood pressure , cardiology , heart rate , natriuretic peptide , rehabilitation , diastole , exercise prescription , cardiac function curve , heart failure , physical therapy
Cardiac patients (68 women, 298 men, mean aged 63 ± 11 yr) were studied for changes in exercise performance and blood N‐terminal B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) concentrations, a known marker of heart failure, before and after 25 ± 4 days of residential cardiac rehabilitation. Exercise training consisted of 6 x wk cycle ergometry for 14 – 22 min (mean 17 ± 4 min), and daily walking for 45 min at 60–70% maximal heart rate (HRmax). Nutrition, diet, and pharmacologic prescriptions where initiated when indicated. NT‐proBNP decreased 33% (1061 ± 1406 to 707 ± 826 pg.mL −1 ) after training (p < 0.0001). NT‐proBNP concentrations were inversely ( p < 0.0001) related to pulse pressure at maximal exercise (−0.391), HRmax (−0.267), systolic blood pressure at maximal exercise (−0.402), and VO 2max (−0.404). Post‐training maximal ergometry performance (+18%), pulse pressure (+5%) and VO 2max (+12%) increased; BMI (−2%), resting heart rate (−8%), and resting diastolic blood pressure (−3%) decreased significantly ( p < 0.03 to < 0.0001). These encouraging findings in only 25 days suggest a relatively powerful effect of short‐term exercise training as part of a residential cardiac rehabilitation program to improve myocardial function, and to at least partially ameliorate the symptoms of ventricular systolic and diastolic insufficiency.