Physical training as non-pharmacological treatment of neurocardiogenic syncope.
BACKGROUND
Characterized as a sudden and temporary loss of consciousness and postural tone, with quick and spontaneous recovery, syncope is caused by an acute reduction of systemic arterial pressure and, therefore, of cerebral blood flow. Unsatisfactory results with the use of drugs allowed the nonpharmacological treatment of neurocardiogenic syncope was contemplated as the first therapeutic option.


OBJECTIVE
To compare, in patients with neurocardiogenic syncope, the impact of a moderate intensity aerobic physical training (AFT) and a control intervention on the positivity of head-up tilting test (HUT) and orthostatic tolerance time.


METHODS
Were studied 21 patients with a history of recurrent neurocardiogenic syncope and HUT. The patients were randomized into: trained group (TG), n = 11, and control group (CG), n = 10. The TG was submitted to 12 weeks of AFT supervised, in cycle ergometer, and the CG to a control procedure that consisted in 15 minutes of stretching and 15 minutes of light walk.


RESULTS
The TG had a positive effect to physical training, with a significant increase in peak oxygen consumption. The CG did not show any statistically significant change before and after the intervention. After the intervention period, 72.7% of the TG sample had negative results to the HUT, not having syncope in the revaluation.


CONCLUSIONS
The program of supervised aerobic physical training for 12 weeks was able to reduce the number of positive HUT, as it was able to increase tolerance time in orthostatic position during the HUT after the intervention period.
Vanessa Cristina Miranda
VC
Takahagi
Daniela Caetano
DC
Costa
Júlio César
JC
Crescêncio
Lourenço
L
Gallo Junior
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D019462:Syncope, Vasovagal / Q000628:therapy*; D018667:Tilt-Table Test; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult