Effects of exercise training on aerobic capacity and quality of life in individuals with heart failure.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether subjects with chronic heart failure, who completed a 12-week rehabilitation program, would have significantly greater quality of life, better aerobic fitness, less difficulty with symptoms of heart failure, greater self-efficacy for exercise, and higher daily activity levels when compared with subjects in a control group.

Methods: Thirty-one males, aged 64 +/- 10 years with left ventricular ejection fraction of 29 +/- 7%, were randomized to a moderate intensity supervised aerobic exercise program (n = 15) or a control group (n = 16). Twenty-seven subjects completed at least 1 follow-up assessment.