HHS HealthBeat (May 04, 2009)

Exercising with heart failure

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Even patients with heart failure, whose hearts can’t pump enough blood to meet their body’s needs, may get some benefit from physical activity.

Researchers at Duke University base that on people with medically stable heart failure due to impaired contraction of the heart muscle. The patients walked or did stationary biking under supervision, and did similar intensity activity at home.

Researcher Christopher O’Connor:

[Christopher O’Connor speaks] "We showed that exercise training is safe in patients with advanced heart disease. Second, we showed a modest improvement in clinical outcomes – a reduction in hospitalization or death." 

The researchers also found the patients had a better quality of life, so physical activity can do patients some good.

The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: May, 05 2009