Postural effects when cycling in late pregnancy.

AIM: This study assessed if upright cycling is preferable to semi-recumbent cycling during pregnancy. METHOD: Healthy women with low risk singleton pregnancies were tested at 34-38 weeks gestation. They cycled for 12 min, either semi-recumbent (45 degrees, n = 27) or upright (n = 23), at 135-145 beats min(-1). RESULTS: When semi-recumbent, minute ventilation was greater (p<0.03) at rest and systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were greater during exercise (p<0.05). Exercise maternal heart rate, oxygen consumption, oxygen consumption per kilogram, minute ventilation, cardiac output, stroke volume, mean and diastolic blood pressures and arterio-venous oxygen difference were posture-independent. All increased with exercise (p<0.01), except stroke volume when semi-recumbent (p>0.05). Small post-exercise fetal heart rate increases (by 8 beats min(-1), p<0.05) were similar in both postures (n = 11 in each sub-group), with no adverse changes. Fetal heart rate accelerations and uterine activity (n = 11 in each sub-group) were not influenced by posture or exercise. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Neither posture had a distinct advantage. (2) Both postures were safe for short duration cycling. (3) The same target maternal heart rates are suitable for both postures because they resulted in similar oxygen consumptions and fetal heart rates.

Long-term risk factor control after a cardiac rehabilitation programme.

This study examined the hypothesis that Phase II cardiac rehabilitation participants (CRP) had better long-term risk factor control, self-rated perception of health and return to work rates than non-participants (NP) between 18 and 36 months post myocardial infarction (MI). It was a comparative study in a 550 bed hospital. Approximately half of both groups did not achieve a total cholesterol (TC) of 5.5 mmol/L or less. Compared with NP, CRP were significantly more likely to have a TC < = 6.5 mmol/L (7% vs. 28%) (p = 0.006). NP with TC > 6.5 mmol/L were significantly less likely to be on treatment (p = 0.002). CRP were more likely to regularly exercise than NP (79% vs. 61%) (p = 0.038). The success rate for blood pressure targets, return to work rates and self-rated perception of health were similar in both groups. In conclusion, CRP had better long-term control of some risk factors than NP. The study provides comparative longer-term patient outcomes after an Australian cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programme and forms the basis for further outcome measurement.