Chest
Volume 105, Issue 1, January 1994, Pages 262-264
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Exercise and the Heart
Trainability of Arms Versus Legs in Men Previous Mycardial Infarction

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Subjects

Our study population consisted of 13 men who had sustained a previous myocardial infarction. Four patients demonstrated electrocardiographic (ECG) changes consistent with anteroseptal infarction. one of combined anteroseptal and inferior infarction, and three each of either inferior or posterior infarction. Two patients had nondiagnostic ECGs. Eight of the 13 (62 percent) were receiving β-blockers. Their mean (±SD) age was 57 ± 8 years; height, 176 ± 5 cm; and weight, 81 ± 6 kg. All subjects

Results

All 13 subjects completed the preconditioning and postconditioning arm and leg tests without demonstrating significant ST-segment depression (≥ 1.0 mm horizontal or downsloping), serious ventricular arrhythmias, or abnormal blood pressure responses or symptoms. Thus, all exercise tests were terminated due to volitional fatigue. No serious cardiac or orthopedic complications occurred during the physical training program. The mean attendance for all participants was 92 percent (16.5/18 exercise

Discussion

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a combined arm-leg aerobic circuit training program in patients with CAD. However, in contrast to previous studies,10, 11, 12 cardiorespiratory and hemodynamic responses to upper and lower extremity exercise testing were obtained before and after the conditioning regimen. Moreover, we used an identical intensity, frequency, and duration for upper and lower extremity conditioning to assess whether the arms respond to exercise training in a similar manner

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Supported by a research grant from the American Heart Association of Michigan.

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