Impact of Walking and Respiratory Training on Cardiopulmonary Function and Activity Endurance in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

TL;DR

Combining walking and breathing exercises improves heart and lung function in patients with chronic heart failure.

Contribution

Demonstrates that combined walking and respiratory training improves cardiopulmonary function in CHF patients.

Findings

Observation group showed better cardiac function with lower heart rate and improved ejection fraction.

Pulmonary function metrics like FVC and FEV1 were higher in the observation group.

Activity endurance, measured by 6-min walking distance, improved significantly in the observation group.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the impact of combining walking with respiratory training in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Eighty patients with CHF, admitted to the Department of Cardiology at the Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2024 and June 2024, were selected as study participants. They were randomly assigned to either a control group or an observation group, with 40 patients in each group. The control group received standard rehabilitation care, while the observation group underwent walking combined with respiratory training along with standard rehabilitation care. Cardiac function, pulmonary function, and activity tolerance were compared between the two groups.

After 3 months of intervention, the observation group exhibited lower levels of heart rate (HR), left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left ventricular end‐systolic diameter (LVESD) compared to the control group, while the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantly higher (p < 0.05). Additionally, the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, and 6‐min walking distance were greater in the observation group compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

In patients with CHF, combining walking and respiratory training significantly enhances cardiopulmonary function and activity tolerance, demonstrating potential clinical use.

This study investigates the impact of combined walking and respiratory training on cardiopulmonary function and activity endurance in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Eighty CHF patients were randomly assigned to either a control group receiving standard rehabilitation or an observation group undergoing walking and respiratory training in addition to standard care. After a 3‐month intervention, the observation group exhibited significant improvements in cardiac function (lower heart rate, left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter, and left ventricular end‐systolic diameter; higher left ventricular ejection fraction), pulmonary function (higher forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, and FEV1/FVC ratio), and activity endurance (longer 6‐min walking distance). These findings suggest that combining walking with respiratory training enhances cardiopulmonary function and activity tolerance in CHF patients, offering potential clinical benefits.

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