2014 Chronic Heart Failure FULL

Chronic Heart Failure and exercise
What is chronic heart failure?

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the heart no longer effectively
pumps blood to the lungs and the rest of the body. People with CHF are often breathless and tire easily,
especially during exercise. Worsening or poorly managed heart failure may cause fluid to build up in the
lungs, known as acute pulmonary oedema or water on the lungs. This is accompanied by severe
breathlessness, frothy sputum and coughing, and requires urgent medical attention. Fluid may also build
up in other areas, causing peripheral oedema (puffy, swollen ankles) and venous congestion (e.g.
prominent jugular veins) which may cause the veins to bulge out in the neck. CHF has many causes, the
most common being myocardial infarction (heart attack), hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes
(high blood sugar).
How is CHF treated?

For people with CHF, a combination of medical and lifestyle management usually reduces symptoms,
improves quality of life, slows the progression of the disease and prolongs life. CHF shares many of the risk
factors prevalent in other cardiometabolic conditions. Controlling cardiovascular risk factors is very
important to prevent and manage CHF. This includes lowering levels of blood cholesterol and other fats,
lowering blood sugar levels and blood pressure, limiting alcohol intake, stopping smoking and engaging
in daily physical activity.
Patients with CHF are prescribed multiple drugs including ACE inhibitors or angiotensin blockers to
reduce blood pressure, slow the progression of disease and improve quality of life. Other prescriptions
may include diuretics to reduce fluid accumulation and beta blockers to lower heart rate and blood
pressure. The three drug classes act individually and together to reduce the work of the heart, improve
exercise tolerance, reduce symptoms and mortality. For acute episodes of CHF, inotropes such as digoxin
may be given to boost the pumping action of the heart. Atrial fibrillation is common in CHF and is treated
using ablation, pharmacotherapy (for arrhythmias and to prevent clotting) and/or pacemakers; a goal of
pacing is also to achieve cardiac resynchronisation. Some patients with severe CHF have surgery to reduce
the size of a swollen heart or to fit an extra pump to assist the ventricular pump. Patients need to control
their salt and fluid intakes and follow a healthy, low-fat, low-sugar diet with plenty of fresh fruit and
vegetables. In addition, a properly planned exercise program is very beneficial, improving signs and
symptoms and quality of life.
How does exercise benefit people with CHF?

Exercise has many benefits for people with CHF. Exercise:
increases cardiovascular function (VO2peak) that is highly linked to improved clinical outcomes;
increases muscle strength and endurance;
improves ability to function and undertake activities of daily living;
improves quality of life and reduces anxiety and symptoms of depression;
improves cardiovascular risk by lowering levels of blood cholesterol and other fats, blood sugar
and blood pressure;
reduces the occurrence and severity of the signs and symptoms associated with CHF; and
slows the rate at which the disease progresses, which reduces both the number of times patients
are hospitalised and the death rate from CHF.
Thus exercise acts as a poly-pill that improves physical and clinical fitness and mental health.
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Exercise is Medicine Australia 2014 | Locked Bag 102 Albion DC QLD 4010 | phone: 07 3862 4122 | email: [email protected]
Exercise is Medicine Australia 2014

Chronic Heart Failure Factsheet
Important considerations for CHF and exercise

CHF is a serious condition and a number of factors must be considered when designing an exercise
program:
People with CHF must be medically stable before starting an exercise program.
Generally, people with CHF have more energy in the morning, particularly midmorning.
The exercise program should be enjoyable to be sustained long term, and include some usual
daily activities such as walking to shops and walking the dog.
Before starting a program, properly supervised exercise tests are required to determine safe and
effective types, amounts and levels of intensity of exercise. Tests include any or all of the
following: aerobic fitness (VO2peak), heart rate and rhythm, blood oxygen content (called
oxygen saturation) and blood pressure, muscle strength and endurance tests and functional
capacity assessments; tests can usually be done with little dependence on technology and rarely
require exercise at high intensity.
The exercise program should include both aerobic training for heart and lung fitness and
resistance exercise training (weight training).
Low blood pressure is a common problem for people with CHF, especially during exercise or
recovery from exercise. Blood pressure and other vital signs and symptoms should be monitored
before and after each supervised exercise session. Low blood pressure can cause symptoms of
light-headedness, fainting, sweating, anxiety, distress and disturbances in heart rhythm. Patients
should be able to recognise the adverse signs and symptoms associated with exercise and
report these promptly to their primary health professional.
People with CHF and diabetes should monitor and self-manage their blood sugar levels before
and after exercise.
People with CHF should adhere to their management plans.
How much exercise should people with CHF do?

No particular amount of exercise is the right amount for people with CHF. Programs must always be
tailored to a persons medical status, medical treatment, exercise capacity and lifestyle goals. As a guide,
however, aerobic endurance exercise should be performed on most days of the week for between 20 and
60 minutes, at an intensity that suits the persons condition. This exercise can be taken in one session or
broken up into smaller periods of exercise and physical activity throughout the day. Resistance training
should be performed on 23 days a week, with 810 different exercises for the major muscle groups. Two
or three sets of 812 repetitions, with weights that require a moderate to high effort (e.g. 50-80% of one
repetition maximum), are appropriate. An alternative to a formal exercise program is to actively engage in
usual daily activities that incorporate exercises for strength and endurance, mobilisation, flexibility and
balance. Good examples are gardening, light housework, walking to the shops, and carrying or wheeling
the shopping home.
References and further information

Exercise is Medicine Australia www.exerciseismedicine.org.au
Find an Accredited Exercise Physiologist www.essa.org.au
Exercise Right www.exerciseright.com.au
1.
2.
ACSM's Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Exercise Prescription (2013) 7th edition, American College of Sports
Medicine, Baltimore: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
ACSM's Exercise management for persons with chronic diseases and disabilities (2009) 3rd edition. American College of Sports Medicine,
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
3.
4.
5.
Pina IL, Apstein CS, Balady GJ, et al. (2003). Exercise and heart failure: a statement from the American Heart Association Committee on
exercise, rehabilitation, and prevention. Circulation 2003; 107(8): 121025.
Selig S, Levinger I, Williams A, et al. Exercise and Sports Science Australia position statement on exercise training and chronic heart failure. J
Sci Med Sport 2010; 13(3): 28894.
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Chronic Heart Failure and exercise

What is chronic heart failure?

How is CHF treated?

How does exercise benefit people with CHF?

Exercise is Medicine Australia 2014

Important considerations for CHF and exercise

How much exercise should people with CHF do?

References and further information

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