[The role of exercise testing in evaluation of functional capacity at patients with ischemic ventricular dysfunction].
The assessment of functional capacity represents an important parameter in the prognostic stratification of patients with heart failure. The objective of the paper is the testing of exercise capacity at patients with ischemic ventricular dysfunction.


METHODS
There have been selected 80 patients with coronary heart disease (old myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, ischemic cardiomiopathy) admitted in the Department of Internal Medicine, Rehabilitation Hospital, Iasi, during 1.01.1998-31.12.1999. They were divided into two groups: group A (46 patients) with proper ventricular function and ejection fraction (EF) above 50% and group B (34 patients) with EF under 50%. They underwent exercise testing at the ergometric bicycle.


RESULTS
Patients of group B had higher values of resting heart rate (74 +/- 9 vs 70 +/- 11, p = 0.04). There were registered similar levels at the maximal exercise at both groups (time-tension index, watt, MET). The evolution of the group with ventricular dysfunction is distinguished by a lower length of time of exercise (8.6 +/- 4.4 vs 9.8 +/- 5.2 min, p = 0.05) and by a significantly greater value of the ST depression (1.6 +/- 1.4 vs 0.9 +/- 1.1 mm, p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The higher resting heart rate at patients with heart failure suggests the activation of neuroumoral mechanisms, especially the adrenergic activation. These patients reach maximal levels similar to those with good systolic function but in a shorter length of time, due to a physical deconditioning or to the same neuroumoral mechanisms. Ischemia is higher at these patients.
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Clinica a VI-a Medicală, Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie Gr.T. Popa Iaşi.
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Pandele
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012146:Rest; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology*