Long Term Effect of High-intensity Training After Heart Transplantation

High-intensity training (HIT) has repeatedly been documented to have superior positive effects compared to moderate exercise in patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure. Since heart transplant recipients (HTx), have a denervated heart with different respond to exercise, HIT has previously not been introduced among these patients. Rikshospitalet carried out a RCT to investigate this (the TEX study 2009-2012), and found that this form of exercise also was highly effective and safe in long term HTx with clinically significant improvement in VO2peak, muscular exercise capasity, general HRQoL, and even slower progression of CAV (coronary allograft vasculopathy). Based on these findings we ask the following questions in this follow-up study:

1. Would the effect on VO2peak, HRQoL,muscle capacity and CAV obtained during the study period continue during long term follow up (5 years)?
2. Is the intervention group more physical active after HIT compared to the control group?

Inclusion Criteria:

• stable situation
• optimal medical treatment
• written concent

Exclusion Criteria:

• unstable situation,
• infections (open wounds or skin diseases),
• physical conditions that prevents participation,
• or other injuries/ diseases who are contraindicated with training.