Effect of physical training on hemodynamic performance following myocardial infarction: a controlled study

The effect of physical training on hemodynamic performance was evaluated in a group of patients who had had a myocardial infarction and a group of healthy, age matched controls. Before training, the patients' mean ventilatory equivalent was significantly less than that of the controls at the lowest workload (300 kpm/min), the mean stroke volume was significantly increased at the highest workload then achieved (600 kpm/min), and the mean arteriovenous oxygen content difference was significantly smaller at the highest workload. The patients had a relative bradycardia before training and there was no significant reduction in mean resting or submaximal heart rate after training. Their mean oxygen uptake was significantly reduced at the lowest exercise workload after training and this response was significantly different from that of the controls after 8 weeks of training. Mean cardiac output during exercise was significantly reduced in the patients after training, but only at the 600 kpm/min workload, the response being blunted at 900 kpm/min, mean stroke volume was also significantly reduced at this workload after training; both these responses were significantly different from those of the controls. Mean arteriovenous oxygen content difference at 600 kpm/min was significantly increased in the patients after training, though the response was not significantly different from that of the controls. Mean ventilatory equivalent was also significantly increased in patients after training, becoming similar to that of the controls.