[Resistive exercise in the evaluation of endothelial dysfunction in heart failure].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of resistive exercise in the study of endothelial dysfunction in heart failure (HF) comparatively to reactive hyperemia (RH).


METHODS
Eighteen patients with heart failure and 15 normal volunteers were submitted to intermittent handgrip exercise in a pneumatic bag, at an intensity that corresponds to 75% of the previously assessed maximum load. Patients underwent high-resolution vascular ultrasonography for brachial artery diameter and flow evaluation as well as cardiac output determination at rest, RH and after exercise. The systolic flow index in the brachial artery and cardiac index were calculated.


RESULTS
Systolic flow index increase in the brachial artery was observed after RH and physical exercise, with the latter presenting the highest increase. There was an increase in the cardiac index after the study conditions in comparison to resting conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
Resistive exercise, performed at the assessed load, increases blood flow more intensively than RH, constituting a physiological option for the evaluation of endothelial function in HF.
de Carvalho
Ricardo Tavares
RT
Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, FMUSP, São Paulo, SP. ricardo.carvalho@incor.usp.br
Vieira
Marcelo Luis Campos
ML
Romano
Angela
A
Kopel
Liliane
L
Lage
Silvia G
SG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012146:Rest; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler