[Non-supervised home exercise programs in a convalescent phase of acute myocardial infarction: their effectiveness and the usefulness of the heart rate at the anaerobic threshold].
The effectiveness of 2 different exercise programs in the convalescent phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was assessed. One hundred and five patients with AMI were enrolled for one of these 2 non-supervised home exercise programs immediately after discharge from the hospital. Before discharge and one month later, they underwent submaximal graded treadmill exercise tests with the application of expiratory gas analysis. All patients were assigned to perform 2 km of walk-jog exercise daily for one month. The heart rate during exercise, duration of exercise and the total steps during 24 hrs were measured. Eighty patients (group A) underwent the exercise program in which their heart rates were maintained at 100-110 beats/min during exercise; while 25 patients (group B) underwent the other program in which their heart rates were maintained at 90-100% of those obtained at their anaerobic threshold (AT). The ventilatory AT was calculated by the standard technique using the Horizon System. In group A, AT increased from 13.4 ml/min/kg to 15.1 ml/min/kg (p < 0.01) after the exercise program and in group B, from 12.8 ml/min/kg to 14.9 ml/min/kg (p < 0.01). In group B, AT increased in all patients, while it remained unchanged in 30% of the patients in group A (p < 0.01). In conclusion, a non-supervised home exercise program can be effective and easily instituted for rehabilitation in a convalescent phase of AMI. The program using 90-100% of the heart rates at the anaerobic threshold seemed to be more suitable for obtaining better effects on exercise tolerance than that using 100-110/min heart rate.
Shimohara
A
A
Cardiology Division, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita.
Ueshima
K
K
Uchimoto
S
S
Iida
H
H
Sato
F
F
Fukami
K
K
Sumiyoshi
T
T
Haze
K
K
Saito
M
M
Hiramori
K
K
D000368:Aged; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold; D003289:Convalescence; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D055656:Prescriptions