CONGESTIVE-HEART-FAILURE - TRAINING FOR A BETTER LIFE

Congestive heart failure (CHF) patients who exercise regularly can inc rease exercise tolerance, decrease dyspnea and fatigue, reduce the ris k of arrhythmias, and improve quality of life. Initial stress testing is important for assessing a pdentC physiologic response to exercise a d for establishing a target heart rate for an individualized exercise program. Patients may need to begin aerobic exercise with interval tra ining and progress slowly. Strength exercise is also useful. Exercise used along with the customarily prescribed CHF mediationsimproves symp toms more than either modality alone.