Emine Esra BİLİR, Ebru ALEMDAROĞLU, Nilüfer Kutay Ordu GÖKKAYA, Refiye ÖNAL, Dilek DİZDAR, Ayşe Merve ATA
Annals of Clinical and Analytical Medicine - 2026;17(8):799-803
Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized aerobic exercise program prescribed according to VO?max measured by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in a cardiac rehabilitation setting. Methods: An observational case-control study. Thirty patients diagnosed with compensated Heart failure and functional capacity New York Heart Association 2-3 were included in the study. Participants underwent a CPET to determine aerobic capacity. Before and after the intervention, CPET and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) for functional exercise capacity, the short form-36 health survey (SF-36) scale to assess quality of life, handgrip strength using a dynamometer for muscle strength, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were applied. Results: The study included 30 patients, 85.7% of whom were male, with a mean age of 52.8 years. The CPET results before and after rehabilitation revealed changes in several parameters; however, only PETCO? and resting systolic blood pressure showed statistically significant changes. There were no significant differences in the VO? max, VE/VCO? slope (EQCO?), O? pulse, or heart rate recovery (HRR) levels after treatment assessment. In the functional assessment, handgrip strength significantly increased ( P = .001). The energy/fatigue and social functioning domains of the SF-36 significantly improved after rehabilitation ( P = .032 and P = .024, respectively). There was no difference in anxiety or depression assessments (both P > .05). Conclusion: A structured rehabilitation program featuring continuous moderate-intensity aerobic exercise significantly improves ventilatory efficiency, blood pressure control, peripheral muscle strength, and certain aspects of quality of life in heart failure patients.
