A randomized trial of the addition of home-based exercise to specialist heart failure nurse care: the Birmingham Rehabilitation Uptake Maximisation study for patients with Congestive Heart Failure (BRUM-CHF) study.

Aims: Supervised exercise can benefit selected patients with heart failure, however the effectiveness of home-based exercise remains uncertain. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a home-based exercise programme in addition to specialist heart failure nurse care.

Methods And Results: This was a randomized controlled trial of a home-based walking and resistance exercise programme plus specialist nurse care (n=84) compared with specialist nurse care alone (n=85) in a heart failure population in the West Midlands, UK.

Muscle afferent inputs to cardiovascular control during isometric exercise vary with muscle group in patients with chronic heart failure.

It is not known whether the contribution of the muscle metaboreflex to the cardiovascular response to isometric exercise varies between different muscles in patients with CHF (chronic heart failure) or whether this depends upon muscle fibre type and training status. To resolve these issues BP (blood pressure) and HR (heart rate) responses were recorded in seven stable CHF patients (ejection fraction 30-40%; age 67+/-3 years) and in six healthy AMA (age-matched active) subjects. The experimental protocol consisted of 2 min of ischaemic isometric exercise at 30% maximum voluntary force, performed in separate trials by the calf plantar flexors (CALF) and handgrip muscles (FOREARM).