Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction in Heart Failure

Training and Congestive Heart Failure

Patients suffering from congestive heart failure report reduced exercise capacity. This skeletal muscle dysfunction is also detectable when using small muscle groups which should not put any demand on the heart.

We hypothesize that congestive heart failure has systemic effects that causes the skeletal muscle dysfunction.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Coronary Heart Failure
• Ejection fraction <35%
• NYHA 2-3
• Spirometry FEV1 > 80%

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cardiomyopathy
• Transplantation candidate
• Active malignancy
• Restraining skeletal-muscular disease
• Claudication in legs
• Hospitalized last 30 days due to acute ischemic episode
• Intravenous inotrope or vasodilatating drugs last 14 days prior to inclusion
• AMI last 8 weeks prior to inclusion
• Organized training last 4 months
• Smoking on daily basis last 4 months
• Creatinin < 150microliters/liter