Conditioning program for amputees with significant heart disease.
A program has been developed for training amputees with significant heart disease. In seven patients, a stress test was performed to evaluate cardiac functional capacity and heart rate response, utilizing both invasive and noninvasive techniques. Following this test, a conditioning program was instituted to improve cardiovascular function. At discharge and six week follow-up, all patients were able to ambulate at least 90 feet (27.4 meters) without excessive pulse rise or cardiac symptoms. This study demonstrates that by proper application of the principles of exercise physiology and cardiac pathophysiology, one should not necessarily deny a disabled patient wiith significant heart disease the opportunity to participate in a rehabilitation program.
D000368:Aged; D000674:Amputees; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005082:Physical Exertion; D019736:Prostheses and Implants