Improving Functional Capacity in Heart Failure Patients Supported With Continuous-flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices. -Effects of Increased Pump Speed During Sustained Submaximal Exercise
Improving Functional Capacity in Heart Failure Patients Supported With Continuous-flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices. -Effects of Increased Pump Speed During Sustained Submaximal Exercise
This randomized trial has been designed to study if it is possible to enhance work capacity during submaximal efforts in heart failure patients supported with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVAD).
The hypothesis is that exercise tolerability during low to moderate workloads in CF-LVAD patients can be increased when pump speed is increased soon after the onset of exercise.
To test the hypothesis described above the investigators will study submaximal exercise tests below anaerobic threshold in patients supported with CF-LVADs.Each patient will perform two tests- one with baseline CF-LVAD pump speed and the other with incrementally increased pump speed.
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Copenhagen Oe, 2100, Denmark