Safety and efficacy of exercise training in a patient awaiting heart transplantation while on positive intravenous inotropic support.
The safety and efficacy of exercise training in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) is well established; however, the impact that exercise has on the subgroup of CHF patients awaiting heart transplant while on intravenous positive inotropic support remains largely unreported. This case study describes the safety and efficacy of exercise training in a patient awaiting heart transplant while on intravenous milrinone. Over a 1.2-year period, 246 exercise sessions were conducted with a total of 180.15 hours of aerobic exercise. During that time, the patient experienced only one hypotensive episode during exercise and had no other adverse events. The patient demonstrated a 38% increase in aerobic exercise time and a 34% increase in sustainable exercise workload. Research is needed to demonstrate the positive impact of exercise training on this subgroup of CHF patients.
Arena
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R
Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond 23298-0224, USA. raarena@gateway.net
Humphrey
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R
Peberdy
M A
MA
D000368:Aged; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D020105:Milrinone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012449:Safety; D013997:Time Factors
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D020105:Milrinone