Effects of long-term exercise training on left ventricular function and remodeling in patients with anterior wall myocardial infarction

To assess the effects of long-term exercise training on the function and remodeling of the left ventricle after myocardial infarction. We studied 90 patients with a first acute anterior-wall myocardial infarction, all received conventional medical treatment. Symptom-limited maximal exercise stress tests, echocardiograms and effort-rest isotopic ventriculographies at 2, 6 and 12 months after myocardial infarction were performed; the follow-up time averaged 36.3±17 months. All patients joined a cardiac rehabilitation program with moderate or intense exercise training lasting at least a year. Of all patients, 41.1% suffered severe left ventricle dysfunction. Ergometric parameters that expressed functional capacity increased significantly (P