The effect of resistance training on left ventricular function and structure of patients with chronic heart failure

Introduction: Resistance training (RT) has been shown to improve chronic heart failure (CHF) patients' functional ability and quality of life. Despite these benefits RT has not always been recommend as a form of exercise principally because of a concern for acceleration of the left ventricular (LV) remodeling process. This study investigated the effects of 8 weeks RT on the LV structure and function of patients with CHF. Method: Fifteen men who suffered from CHF were divided into either a RT program or non-training control group. Before and after 8 weeks of training patients underwent resting echocardiography to assess their end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions (EDD and ESD, respectively), ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS) and stroke volume (SV). Results: A repeated measured ANOVA showed that 8 weeks of RT bad no significant effect on the LV measurements (group X time, p > 0.05). Post training comparison, however, revealed that the EF and FS of the training group was significantly higher than in the control group (40.9 +/- 10.5% vs. 30.3 +/- 4.6%, p=0.029 and 25.0 +/- 7.0% vs. 17.4 +/- 3.1%, p=0.020 respectively). Conclusion: RT is a suitable method of training for CHF patients since it does not cause a reduction of LV contractility function or enhance myocardial deterioration as measured by EF and FS. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.