OBJECTIVES We examined whether enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) improves myocardial ischemia, exercise tolerance and cardiac function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND Enhanced external counterpulsation reduces angina and improves exercise tolerance in patients with CAD. Some objective improvements of ischemia by EECP have been reported, but they should be co...

The aim of this present study was to investigate the effects of training on exercise tolerance of patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention. Fifty-seven cases of coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention were divided randomly into the rehabilitation training group (26 cases) and control group (31 cases). Patients in the rehabilitation tr...

We assessed the changes in arterial potassium concentration during exercise and recovery in relation to exercise tolerance in patients with impaired exercise tolerance. Sixteen patients with cardiac disease were subjected to a cardiopulmonary exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Arterial potassium and lactate concentrations were measured every minute during and after exercise, and ventilatory th...

INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE To examine the relationship between self-reported tolerance of exercise intensity, measured by the Preference for and Tolerance of Exercise Intensity Questionnaire, and the amount of time individuals persevered during incremental treadmill tests to volitional fatigue beyond the point at which they had reached their ventilatory threshold. METHODS The participants in study ...

The present multicentre study evaluates the differences in efficacy between a 3 month rehabilitation programme including drug treatment, and a 3 month control period of drug treatment only, for asthmatic patients and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The programme was run by physiotherapists in eight local practices, and included exercise training, patient education, b...

INTRODUCTION For asymptomatic patients with moderate-severe valvular heart disease, in whom symptoms may be obscured, objective exercise tolerance measures are warranted for decisions concerning physical activities and surgical treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS We compared 61 patients (39 with aortic stenosis, 22 with aortic or mitral regurgitation) to 23 controls without valvular heart disease...

BACKGROUND A 42-year-old woman with chronic polymyositis complicated by post-myocarditis cardiomyopathy underwent supervised and unsupervised exercise therapy with staged increases in intensity. METHODS Supervised exercise therapy, which included adopted standards for patients with heart failure, was performed for 6 months. After one month, unsupervised exercise therapy was commenced, in the ...

Passive heat stress increases core and skin temperatures and reduces tolerance to simulated hemorrhage (lower body negative pressure; LBNP). We tested whether exercise-induced heat stress reduces LBNP tolerance to a greater extent relative to passive heat stress, when skin and core temperatures are similar. Eight participants (6 males, 32 ± 7 yr, 176 ± 8 cm, 77.0 ± 9.8 kg) underwent LBNP to pre...

Exercise tolerance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients has been shown to be related to airway limitation and dyspnoea, but little is known about the effects of an emotional status on physical performance. We examined 49 COPD patients with a wide spectrum of airway limitation severity and hypoxaemia. Exercise tolerance was evaluated using the Six-minute Walking Distance Test...