Different Endurance Training Protocols in Cardiac Rehabilitation

Paracelsus Medical University (PMU)

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 4

Conditions: Coronary Artery Disease

Treatments: Other: High-intensity interval training; Other: Pyramid-Training; Other: Endurance training with constant work load

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01493193

UISM-5

Details and patient eligibility

About

It is the aim of the study to compare the effects of 6 weeks of either high-intensity interval training (HIT; carried out at correctly assessed 85-95% of maximal heart rate), pyramid, or continuous endurance training, on changes of physical exercise capacity in cardiac patients.

The three exercise arms (isocaloric) are composed as follows:

Endurance training (n=15): 31min at 65-75% HRmax; HIT (n=15): 4x4min intervals at 85-95% HRmax divided by 3x3min of active recovery at 60-70% HRmax, making it a total of 25min; Pyramids (n=15): One Pyramid consists of 8 one-minute blocks. Those are grouped starting with one block of 70-75% HRmax, followed by one block at 75-80% HRmax and another one at 80-85% HRmax. The top of the pyramid are 2 blocks of 85-90% HRmax. Intensity is lowered afterwards with one block at 80-85% HRmax, followed by one block at 75-80% HRmax and last one at 70-75% HRmax. Two more pyramids follow, each divided by 2min of active recovery at 65-70% HRmax, making it a total of 28min.

All protocols are initiated by 5min of warm-up and end with 5min of cool-down, both at 60-70% HRpeak.

Primary Outcome: Individual maximum power output in watt (Pmax). Secondary Outcome: Change of power output in watt at lactate thresholds at 2 and 4 mmol/l.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 25 to 85 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

At least one of the following diagnoses within the previous 3 months:

• acute coronary syndrome (STEMI)
• acute coronary syndrome (NSTEMI)
• aortocoronary bypass surgery
• PCI
• stable coronary heart disease

Exclusion criteria

• Unstable angina pectoris
• Heart failure (NYHA IV)
• Acute endomyocarditis or other acute infections
• Pulmonary artery embolism or phlebothrombosis within the previous 6 months
• Hemodynamically unstable arrhythmia
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• participation in another study within the previous 6 months
• Medical conditions which prevent patients from complying with the exercise program

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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60 participants in 3 patient groups

Endurance training with constant work load

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Other: Endurance training with constant work load

Pyramid-Training

Experimental group

Treatment:

Other: Pyramid-Training

High-intensity interval training

Experimental group

Treatment:

Other: High-intensity interval training