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Clinical Trial
. 1996 May-Jun;16(3):193-6.
doi: 10.1097/00008483-199605000-00007.

Exercise training for patients with chronic atrial fibrillation

D J Mertens  1 , T Kavanagh
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Exercise training for patients with chronic atrial fibrillation

D J Mertens et al. J Cardiopulm Rehabil. 1996 May-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) referred for exercise rehabilitation exemplify the problem inherent in reliance on pulse rate to prescribe and monitor training intensity.

Methods: Exercise training was accomplished by specifying a training walking pace based on 60% to 80% of the peak oxygen intake (VO2max), as determined by the analysis of expired air (Horizon metabolic cart), and/or the ventilatory threshold (VT), together with a perceived exertion of 12 to 14 on the original Borg scale of perceived exertion.

Results: At the end of 1 year, a significant training effect was demonstrated (VO2max average increase 15%, 14.8 +/- 3.6 mL/kg/min to 17.0 +/- 3.6 mL/kg/min, P < .02; VO2 at VT, average increase 14%, 11.2 +/- 2.2 to 12.8 +/- 2.6 mL/kg/min, P < .01; peak power output increase 21%, 92.5 +/- 29.3 Watts to 112 +/- 3.7 Watts, P < .05) in a group of 20 patients (13 men, 7 women) with chronic atrial fibrillation.

Conclusions: Patients with chronic atrial fibrillation can achieve significant functional gains from an exercise rehabilitation program.

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