Regular physical exercise improves endothelial function in heart transplant recipients.

Alice Schmidt; Johannes Pleiner; Michaela Bayerle-Eder; Günther F Wiesinger; Suzanne Rödler; Michael Quittan; Gert Mayer; Michael Wolzt

doi:10.1034/j.1399-0012.2002.1o100.x

PubMed · 11966784

Regular physical exercise improves endothelial function in heart transplant recipients.

Alice Schmidt·Johannes Pleiner·Michaela Bayerle-Eder·Günther F Wiesinger·Suzanne Rödler·Michael Quittan·Gert Mayer·Michael Wolzt

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Impaired endothelial function is detectable in heart transplant (HTX) recipients and regarded as risk factor for coronary artery disease. We have studied whether endothelial function can be improved in HTX patients participating in a regular physical training program as demonstrated in patients with chronic heart failure, hypertension and coronary artery disease. METHODS: Male HTX patients and healthy, age-matched controls were studied. Seven HTX patients (age: 60 +/- 6 yr; 6 +/- 2 yr of HTX) participated in an outpatient training program, six HTX patients (age: 63 +/- 8 yr; 7 +/- 1 yr of HTX) maintained a sedentary lifestyle without regular physical exercise since transplantation. A healthy control group comprised six subjects (age: 62 +/- 6 yr). Vascular function was assessed by flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery (FMD). Systemic haemodynamic responses to intravenous infusion of the endothelium independent vasodilator sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and to NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), an inhibitor of constitutive nitric oxide synthase, were also measured. RESULTS: Resting heart rate was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in healthy controls (66 +/- 13) than in the HTX training group (83 +/- 11) and in non-training HTX patients (91 +/- 9), baseline blood pressure also tended to be lower in healthy subjects and in the training HTX patients. FMD was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the control group (8.4 +/- 2.2%) and in the training group (7.1 +/- 2.4%), compared with non-training HTX patients (1.4 +/- 0.8%). The response of systolic blood pressure (p = 0.08) and heart rate (p < 0.05) to L-NMMA was reduced in sedentary HTX patients compared with healthy controls and heart rate response to SNP was also impaired in sedentary HTX patients. DISCUSSION: Regular aerobic physical training restores vascular function in HTX patients, who are at considerable risk for developing vascular complications. This effect is demonstrable in conduit and systemic resistance arteries.

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Blood Pressure Brachial Artery Endothelium, Vascular Enzyme Inhibitors Exercise Therapy Heart Rate Heart Transplantation Humans Male Middle Aged Nitric Oxide Synthase Nitroprusside Risk Factors Vasodilation Vasodilator Agents omega-N-Methylarginine Journal Article

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Alice Schmidt, Johannes Pleiner, Michaela Bayerle-Eder, Günther F Wiesinger, Suzanne Rödler, Michael Quittan, Gert Mayer, Michael Wolzt. 2002. Regular physical exercise improves endothelial function in heart transplant recipients.. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-0012.2002.1o100.x

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