title: Reversing heart failure-associated pathophysiology with exercise: what actually improves and by how much?
abstract: Until the late 1980s, physical exercise training was a contraindication in patients with heart failure. Extensive research has demonstrated that exercise training reverses heart failure-associated pathology at the clinical and molecular levels. Exercise training has emerged as a class I recommendation in all major national and international guidelines for the treatment of chronic heart failure. Knowledge gained in clinical trials and molecular research builds a strong case for exercise training as a key therapeutic component of an evidence-based treatment of chronic heart failure. It is long overdue to provide patients with an infrastructure that enables them to benefit from this class I intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig - Heart Center, Strümpelstraβe 39, Leipzig 04289, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation, Research Institut of Molecular Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Institute of Sports Medicine of the State of Salzburg, Sports Medicine of the Olympic Center Salzburg-Rif, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Lindhofstrasse 20, Salzburg 5020, Austria. Electronic address: j.niebauer@salk.at.
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niebauer
mesh_terms: D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
keywords: Endothelium; Exercise training; Nitric oxide; Oxidative stress; Skeletal muscle