Effectiveness of Aerobic Exercise in Cardiac Patients

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of aerobic exercise program in cardiac patients. METHOD: Twenty patients participated in 6 weeks of aerobic exercise with telemetry monitoring as an outpatient rehabilitation program. For the comparison of physiologic changes, we used graded exercise test (GXT) by means of modified Bruce protocol before and in 6 weeks after aerobic exercise training. Exercise prescription for cardiac rehabilitation was composed of intensity, mode, frequency and duration. By use of EKG telemetry and monitoring of blood pressure and Borg RPE (ratings of perceived exertion) scale, we were monitored patients status during exercise. RESULTS: In six weeks after aerobic exercise training, the hemodynamic and metabolic responses were improved and statistically significant parameters were as follows: exercise time, maximal METs, resting heart rate, maximal heart rate, submaximal rate pressure product, maximal expired volume, maximal oxygen consumption rate and anaerobic threshold. CONCLUSION: We concluded that six week cardiac rehabilitation program is useful and safe to improve the aerobic capacity for cardiac patients.

Risk Factor Analysis in Patients with Recurrent Cerebral Infarction by Transesophageal Echocardiography

OBJECTIVE: Among risk factors associated with cerebral infarction, cardiac factors are well known to be very important. However there were only few studies related to correlation between cardiac risk factors and stroke recurrence. So we tried to evaluate cardiac disease as a risk factor of recurrent cerebral infarction. METHOD: Subjects were 118 patients (62 male, 56 female) with cerebral infarction and were divided into first attack group as a control and recurred group. We evaluated the results of transesophageal echocardiographic study and other major risk factors and the results were compared in two groups using X2 test. RESULTS: Control group was 75 patients (39 male, 36 female), and recurred group was 43 patients (23 male, 20 female) and the mean ages were 62.8 years and 66.7 years, respectively. General transesophageal echocardiographic abnormalities were shown in 63 cases (84%) in control group and 40 cases (93%) in recurred group. Among the abnormal transesophageal echocardiographic findings, atherosclerosis of aorta was significantly higher in recurred group (49%) compared to control group (25%) (p<0.05), but there were no significant difference in aortic valve calcification, mitral calcification etc. Among the major risk factors of cerebral infarction, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and alcohol intake showed tendency of high incidence in the recurred group. Patients with abnormal EKG findings concurrent with abnormal transesophageal echocardiographic findings showed in 33 cases (44%) in control group, and 24 cases (56%) in recurred group, but there's no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Our results do not support the hypothesis that TEE would be able to diagnose the cardiac risk factor for recurred cerebral infarction. However, the prevalence of atherosclerosis of aorta was significantly higher in recurrent group, so further studies would be needed.