title: Clinical benefits of a metabolic approach in the cardiac rehabilitation of patients with coronary artery disease.
abstract: Patients referred for cardiac rehabilitation may benefit from combining trimetazidine with exercise training because both treatments produce synergic benefits on the cardiovascular system. There is evidence that trimetazidine improves left ventricular (LV) function in patients with ischemic and diabetic cardiomyopathy by shifting the cellular energy substrate reference from fatty acids to glucose oxidation, and that this effect is associated with a better outcome. Recently, results have demonstrated that trimetazidine improves radial artery endothelium-dependent relaxation related to its antioxidant properties. Similarly, exercise training has been demonstrated to improve diastolic filling and systolic function in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, in relation to enhanced perfusion and contractility of dysfunctional myocardium. Patients with viable myocardium, in theory, should have the greatest benefits because trimetazidine improves contractility of dysfunctional hibernating/stunned myocardium, whereas exercise has documented efficacy in improving endothelial vasomotor response of coronary arteries, stimulating coronary collateral circulation and small vessel growth, improving LV function, and increasing functional capacity. At present, there are no published reports about the efficacy of the combination of trimetazidine with exercise training. In this article, we discuss the rationale for using trimetazidine in cardiac rehabilitation, the identification of patients referred for cardiac rehabilitation who might benefit the most from the addition of trimetazidine to standard therapy, and the documented benefits.
authors.affiliation: Struttura di Cardiologia Riabilitativa e Preventiva, Presidio Cardiologico GM Lancisi, Ancona, Italy. r.belardinelli@fastnet.it
authors.forename: Romualdo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belardinelli
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lacalaprice
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faccenda
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Volpe
mesh_terms: D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014292:Trimetazidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D014292:Trimetazidine