Effect of Heart Rate Reserve on Exercise Capacity in Patients Treated With a Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device: A Multicentre Study

Despite considerable improvements in heart failure symptoms, exercise capacity as measured by maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) remains low in patients treated with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). We hypothesized that an inadequate increase in heart rate (HR) during exercise is associated with a low VO2max in LVAD recipients. We further aimed to analyse the potential relation between HR and VO2max and use of drugs with negative chronotropic effect.
Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Source Type: research