RESUMO
Objective:To observe the effect of a modified version of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the rehabilitation of persons with coronary artery disease (CAD), and to evaluate its safety and patient compliance.Methods:Sixty CAD patients were randomly divided into an exercise group and a control group, each of 30. Both groups were given conventional cardiac rehabilitation (including controlled nutrition, psychological counseling and low-intensity aerobic exercise). The exercise group additionally completed a session of HIIT twice a week for 6 weeks. Each session involved 30s of cycling at 85-90% of the patient′s maximum heart rate followed by 30s rest, repeated 15 times. The cardiorespiratory fitness, blood pressure, vascular function and body composition of both groups were documented before and after the 6 weeks. Compliance was recorded and the safety of the modified HIIT program was evaluated.Results:A significant improvement was observed in the maximum oxygen uptake and workload in a graded exercise test among the exercise group. The average blood pressure and body composition improved significantly, as did the average positive mood score and enjoyment of training. There was a significant decrease in negative mood and anxiety scores among the exercise group. No significant differences were observed in the control group. Compliance with the HIIT training program of the exercise group (97.4%) was significantly better than the control group′s compliance (88.7%) with its less strenuous regimen. There were no serious adverse reactions or cardiovascular events during the experiment.Conclusion:Modified HIIT is an effective form of cardiac rehabilitation training for CAD. It is safe, and compliance is good.