The Effect of Exercise-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program on Anaerobic Threshold and Hemodynamic Indexes in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Cardiac function during exercise is assumed to be important in determining exercise tolerance. The aim of this study was to evaluate hemodynamic changes of blood flow at anaerobic threshold and its effect on exercise tolerance. 24 patients with coronary artery disease were voluntarily divided into two groups of experimental (n=12) and control (n=12). The experimental group participated in 8 weeks of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program, 3 sessions/week at the intensity of 70%-85% of maximum heart rate (MHR) and 40%-60% of one repetition maximum (1RM). Hemodynamic changes at anaerobic threshold were assessed at baseline and 48 hours after the end of the protocol by the impedance cardiography method. Results demonstrated that training significantly (p<0.05) increased anaerobic threshold (AT), Vo2 peak and some hemodynamic responses at anaerobic threshold. It was observed that exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program could improve anaerobic threshold via improvement of hemodynamic responses in patients with coronary artery disease.