Exercise protocol enhanced training response for women in cardiac rehabilitation
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An exercise protocol that combined high-intensity interval training and intensive lower-extremity resistance training enhanced training response in women undergoing cardiac rehabilitation compared with standard exercise training.
“High-intensity interval training has been shown to be more effective in increasing peak VO2 compared with moderate-intensity continuous training,” Sherrie Khadanga, MD, cardiologist and assistant director of cardiac rehabilitation at the University of Vermont Medical Center in South Burlington, and colleagues wrote in JAMA Cardiology. “However, benefits with high-intensity interval training for women are unclear because more studies of high-intensity interval training have included primarily men.”
Researchers enrolled 56 women (mean age, 65 years; all white) who were participating in a community-based cardiac rehabilitation program from July 2017 to February 2020. Participants were randomly assigned to an exercise protocol consisting of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and lower-extremity resistance training (n = 29) or standard moderate-intensity continuous training (n = 27) three times per week for 12 weeks.
The primary outcome was difference in peak VO2 change from baseline to week 12.
The researchers reported a greater increase in peak VO2 in the HIIT and lower-extremity resistance training group compared with the standard training group (23% vs. 8%; mean increase, 0.3 L/min vs. 0.1 L/min; P = .03).
Change in leg strength was greater in those assigned HIIT and lower-extremity resistance training (mean increase, 15.3 kg vs. 6.4 kg; P = .004).
The researchers noted several limitations of the study, including a lack of diversity, single-center design and no tracking of activity performed outside of cardiac rehabilitation.
“Our results suggest that, when appropriate, women should perform high-intensity interval training and intensive resistance training to maximize improvements in peak VO2 during cardiac rehabilitation,” the researchers wrote.
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