RESUMO
Background: Heart rate recovery at 1st min (HRR 1 min) after graded treadmill exercise (GTX) is a predictor of parasympathetic function. Impaired HRR 1 min and obesity are strong predictors of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disorders. This study is done to asses HRR 1 min on apparently healthy obese young adults with body mass index (BMI) ?30, without any other metabolic syndrome components. Aims and Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the parasympathetic function by estimating HRR 1 min after exercise in apparently healthy obese young adults of 18–30 years of age without any metabolic syndrome components and is compared with age- and gender-matched controls with normal BMI. Materials and Methods: Fifty obese young adults with BMI ?30 without any other metabolic syndrome component and 50 age- and gender-matched controls with BMI ?24.9 were selected and subjected to GTX according to modified Bruce protocol. Maximum heart rate reached during exercise (HRmax) and heart rate at 1st min of recovery phase (HR1min) were recorded. HRR 1 min was calculated as HRmax-HR1min and was analyzed. Results: This study showed significantly attenuated HRR 1 min in obese young adults compared to age- and gender-matched controls (mean 24.02 ± 8.87 vs. 42.42 ± 5.3, P < 0.001). Conclusion: HRR 1 min was significantly decreased in obese young adults, indicating attenuated parasympathetic function, who are at higher risk of developing chronic cardiovascular and other metabolic disorders.
RESUMO
PURPOSE: To study the benefits of the cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Between 1986 and 1995 we studied 49 patients with CAD, participants of the CRP, 45 (91.83) of them men. They were compared with a control group of 37 sedentary patients, 33 (89.18) men. The main parameters analyzed were the duration of exercise, the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), the metabolic equivalent (MET), the functional aerobic impairment (FAI) and the change in the classification of the cardiorespiratory capacity between two graded exercise tests (GTX). RESULTS: There were improvements in all parameters of the GTX analyzed in the two groups. The patients of the CRP presented a better functional capacity than the sedentary patients and, in relation to the duration of exercise, to the VO2 max and to the MET, the differences in the two groups achieved statistical significance (p < 0.05). We did not observe benefits, in relation to the physical conditioning, with a more prolonged permanence of the patients in the program (more than 24 months). There were no cardiovascular complications with the practice of the exercise in the period analyzed. CONCLUSION: The improvement in the duration of exercise, in the VO2 max and in the MET, the more negative variation in the FAI and the improvement in the classification of the cardiorespiratory capacity between the two GTX of the patients of the CRP demonstrate improvement in functional capacity significantly better than sedentary patients. The CRP analyzed was considered a therapeutic method safe and efficient after a coronary event.