Exercise Training in Women With Heart Disease

Exercise Training in Women With Heart Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of premature death in Canadian women. Women who suffer an acute coronary event are more likely than men to be physically inactive, have lower exercise capacity, and die in the next year. The standard cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs do not meet women's needs. There is a need to address these issues to increase participation in CR. The main purpose of this project is to evaluate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) compared to moderate-intensity continuous exercise training (MICE) on exercise capacity and quality of life in women with CHD. Positive results of this study will fill the gap in knowledge in exercise training, levels of motivation, self-efficacy and enjoyment following HIIT vs. MICE in women with CHD.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women with CHD (e.g. CABG or PCI at least 4 weeks but less than 12 weeks post event or procedure; acute myocardial infarction; or, stable angina with corroborating evidence of CHD);
• Patient is able to perform a symptom-limited CPET (this is needed to determine peak HR for the exercise training prescription); and,
• Patient is able to read and understand English or French.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient is currently participating in routine exercise training (>2x/week) (this may reduce the impact of the program on outcomes);
• Patient has: a ventricular ejection fraction <45%; unstable angina; or established diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, severe mitral or aortic stenosis, or hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (this may interfere with the ability to engage in MICE or HIIT);
• Patient has unmanaged psychiatric illness (e.g. active psychosis, suicidal ideation) or cognitive impairment (this may confound improvements in physical and health outcomes);
• Patient does not have internet connection;
• Patient is unable to provide written informed consent; or
• Patient is unwilling or unable to return for follow-up visits at 12 and 26 weeks.
• Patient is unwilling to be randomized to HIIT or MICE