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Newswise — Exercise training meta-analysis of trials in patients with chronic heart failure
Properly supervised exercise programmes improve survival in people with chronic heart failure, finds new research. At present, exercise is not widely used because good evidence is lacking.
This study will be available on http://bmj.com on 16 January 2004. (The paper will be available from the press office on 15 January 2004.)
Researchers analysed nine trials involving 801 patients with heart failure. Of these, 395 received exercise training for at least eight weeks and 406 received usual care. All were monitored for at least three months.
Overall, there were 88 (22%) deaths in the exercise group and 105 (26%) in the control group. Deaths and admission to hospital were significantly lower in the exercise group.
Even when the amount of time spent exercising as part of a programme is small, supervised and encouraged exercise is likely to lead to a more active lifestyle, so that the effective "dose" of exercise may be considerably greater than that directly prescribed, add the authors.
Further research should focus on optimising exercise programmes and identifying appropriate patient groups to target, they conclude.
For more information please contact:Linda MillingtonTel: 020 7383 6473Fax: 020 7383 6403Email: [email protected]
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