title: Cardiac function and functional capacity: implications for the failing heart.
abstract: The exercise capacity of patients with congestive heart failure is determined by factors including the interaction of the right and left ventricles and their respective circulations, lung mechanics, skeletal muscle metabolism, and blood flow. Therapeutic efforts should be directed at all of the units in this complex process rather than the response of an individual system. Multiple therapeutic regimens such as nitrates and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in combination with physical training and other therapies that improve pulmonary function produce optimal results. Using this holistic approach to therapy, the physician may have a beneficial impact on the exercise capacity of patients with congestive heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Dell'Italia
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Gaasch
mesh_terms: D001775:Blood Circulation; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D003971:Diastole; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D013599:Systole; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right