Training level comparison study. Effect of high and low intensity exercise on ventilatory threshold in men with coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether exercise at low intensity (LO; 50% of peak VO2) or high intensity (HI; 85% of peak VO2) results in improvement of the ventilatory threshold (VT), 186 men with coronary artery disease (CAD) were enrolled in an exercise study for 1 year.


METHODS
A symptom-limited exercise test was performed at baseline and the heart rate corresponding to 50% and 85% of peak VO2 was determined. Subjects were randomized to LO or HI intensity exercise. Exercise sessions included 45 minutes of walking/jogging and/or stationary cycling at the appropriate target heart rate and were conducted 3 days per week. The exercise test was repeated at 3 and 6 months. Target heart rates were revised to adjust for training.


RESULTS
Both LO and HI resulted in improved VO2 at VT and peak. However, HI resulted in greater improvement than LO.


CONCLUSIONS
Among this population, both HI and LO improve the VO2 at VT and peak, but the improvement is greater with HI. The VT can be a useful adjunct to heart rate and peak oxygen uptake when prescribing exercise.
Jensen
B E
BE
Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Fletcher
B J
BJ
Rupp
J C
JC
Fletcher
G F
GF
Lee
J Y
JY
Oberman
A
A
D015308:Anaerobic Threshold; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption