FRIDAY, Feb. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with chronic heart failure and inspiratory muscle weakness can benefit from inspiratory muscle training, Brazilian researchers report in the Feb. 21 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Jorge P. Ribeiro, M.D. Sc.D., of the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil, and colleagues studied 32 patients with chronic heart failure and weakness of inspiratory muscles, defined as a maximal inspiratory pressure less than 70 percent of predicted. Half of patients were randomly assigned to undergo a 12-week program of inspiratory muscle training for 30 minutes, seven times a week, and the other half underwent placebo-inspiratory muscle training.
The researchers found that in those assigned to training, the maximal inspiratory pressure improved by 115 percent, peak oxygen uptake improved by 17 percent, the six-minute walk distance increased by 19 percent, circulatory power increased and ventilatory oscillations were reduced. Quality of life scores and oxygen kinetics during early recovery also improved, according to the study.
"In patients with chronic heart failure and inspiratory muscle weakness, inspiratory muscle training results in marked improvement in inspiratory muscle strength, as well as improvement in functional capacity, ventilatory response to exercise, recovery oxygen uptake kinetics, and quality of life," Ribeiro and colleagues conclude.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
