Risk factors for exercise-related acute cardiac events. A case-control study.

Background: In spite of the benefits of physical activity, exercise may provoke acute cardiac events in susceptible individuals. Understanding risk factors of exercise-related acute cardiac events may identify opportunities for prevention.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted to examine determinants of acute cardiac events in athletes.

The first 20 years of bradypacing in the Netherlands - with special reference to organisational structures.

In 1958, Arne Larson was the first patient to undergo an implantation of a completely internal pacemaker. Four years after this successful implantation by Senning and Elmquist in Sweden, Brom implanted the first internal system in a Dutch patient in Leiden.The pioneering work and the early history of bradypacing in the Netherlands until 1982 are described.

The effect of physical training on workload, upper leg muscle function and muscle areas in patients with chronic heart failure.

Objective: To investigate the effect of physical training (PTr) on upper leg muscle area, muscle strength and muscle endurance expressed as upper leg muscle function (ULMF) in relation to exercise performance in CHF.

Design: Randomised to a training (TG) or control group (CG).

Setting: Outpatient cardiac rehabilitation centre of community hospital.

Endothelial markers in chronic heart failure: training normalizes exercise-induced vWF release.

Background: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterized by endothelial dysfunction. Vascular endothelium is important for control of haemostasis and vasoregulation. The aim of the present study was to investigate plasma levels of several endothelial markers and the exercise-induced changes on these plasma levels in CHF patients.

Determinants of maximal exercise performance in chronic heart failure.

Background: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterized by symptoms like fatigue, dyspnoea and limited exercise performance. It has been postulated that maximal exercise performance (Wmax) is predominantly limited by skeletal muscle function and less by heart function.

Aim: To study the interrelation between most relevant muscle and anthropometrical variables and Wmax in CHF patients in order to develop a model that describes the impact of these variables for maximal exercise performance.