Physical Activity and CHF

• Physical activity exercise performs several functions for the individual with CHF including pt1:

  • Appropriate PA can prevent or delay onset of atherosclerosis underpinning acute coronary syndrome (ACS), which itself is the main cause of CHF.
  • Enhancement of cardiorespiratory fitness mediated mainly via an increase in skeletal aerobic efficiency promotes / safeguards individual functionality and reduces disability – significant determinants of quality of life
  • Enhancement of CRF mediated mainly via an increase in skeletal aerobic efficiency offloads the work of the failing heart and reduces patient symptoms - most notably fatigue and shortness of breath
• Physical activity exercise performs several functions for the individual with CHF including pt2:

  1. Helps stabilise CHF and therefore reduces morbidity, hospitalisation and mortality
  2. PA helps counter the detrimental effects of sedentarism on skeletal muscle, which subsequently increases the work load placed on the heart
  3. PA helps counter the detrimental effects that cytokines and inflammatory mediators produced by the pathology itself have on skeletal muscle. These are associated with increasing disability and increasing subject symptomology
• • Appropriate life-long physical activity is both a key element of the management and rationale behind physiotherapy
  • You should expect to see individuals with various degrees of heart failure in your cardiac rehabilitation classes, where you can help empower them to stabilise their condition through safe and effective exercise that they are able to continue at home for the rest of their lives