HEART RATE VARIABILITY IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE: EFFECT OF EXERCISE TRAINING

A b s t r a c t The present study was designed to evaluate whether a specific program of exercise training at anaerobic threshold level may be sufficient to improve heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). We examined 10 patients with CHF (men, mean body weight 85 ± 12kg; mean age 61±13 years; NYHA class II-III,) after echocardiography, coronarography and under stable therapy. The patients underwent standard bicycle spiroergometry test before and after the training in order to determine basic functional parameters (maximal workload - Wmax, symptom-limited oxygen uptake - V. O2SL, oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold - V. O2AT, and metabolic equivalents - METs). The patients underwent 8-week long intensive aerobic training (at anaerobic threshold level, 3 times a week) combined with resistance training at the level of 60% of one repetition maximum (1-RM) Heart rate variability parameters (HRV) were determined by spectral analysis of pulse interval (PI) using the beat-to-beat non-invasive monitoring of ECG, spontaneous and metronome-controlled breathing at 0.3Hz before and after the training (system Varia-Pulse TF-3). The results showed a significant increase in values of total power after the end of rehabilitation (from 891 ± 1011 ms 2 to 2829 ± 3000 ms 2 ; *P < 0.05, Wilcoxon paired). It is concluded that 8 weeks lasting exercise training at anaerobic threshold level can increase the total power value (TP) of heart rate variability in patients with chronic heart failure.