[Characteristics of rehabilitation of physical work capacity in patients with prior myocardial infarct depending on baseline tolerance of exercise test].

The restorative features of physical working capacity (PWC) in relation to baseline exercise (E) tolerance were examined in 223 males aged 30-58 years who had sustained large myocardial infarction. The results indicated that there was a positive dynamics of PWC parameters in the patients who had an initial threshold exercise intensity (TEI) of 25-50 W, the greatest increase in these parameters occurring within three months of the disease. The patients who had a TEI of 75 W or more virtually showed unaltered PWC during a 12-month follow-up. This fact is suggestive of earlier restoration of residual PWC in the patients at a TEI of 75 W or greater. An increase in heart rate (HR), double product (DP), cardiac index (CI) in response to higher exercise was much more significant with higher E. At the same time when the patients performed a routine 25-W exercise during 5 min, the rise in HR, DP, and CI was low, whereas the patients having a lower tolerance to routine E, increased HR, DP, and CI.