Nonselective β-adrenergic blockade with carvedilol does not hinder the benefits of exercise training in patients with congestive heart failure

Laura Demopoulos, Michael Yeh, Marco Gentilucci, Marco Testa, Rachel Bijou, Stuart D. Katz, Donna Mancini, Margaret Jones, Thierry H. LeJemtel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Long-term β-adrenergic blockade does not appear to be associated with drug-induced training in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF); whether exercise training can increase peak aerobic capacity in patients with CHF who are treated with β-adrenergic blockers is currently unknown. Methods and Results: We studied 23 patients with CHF who were treated with carvedilol or propranolol in addition to ACE inhibitors, furosemide, and digoxin. Of the patients treated with carvedilol, 8 underwent exercise training and 8 remained sedentary. All 7 patients treated with propranolol underwent exercise training. Peak oxygen consumption (mL · kg- 1 · min-1) was serially measured in trained and sedentary patients. Peak reactive hyperemia (mL · min-1 · 100 mL-1) was determined in the calf and forearm immediately before and after 12 weeks of training. The peak oxygen consumption of trained patients treated with either carvedilol or propranolol increased from 12.9±1.4 to 16.0±1.6 (P<.001) and 12.4±1.0 to 15.7±0.9 (P<.001) mL · kg-1 · min-1, respectively, whereas it did not change in the sedentary patients. Peak reactive hyperemia increased significantly in the calves but not the forearms of trained patients. Conclusions: Long-term, nonselective β-adrenergic blockade with carvedilol or propranolol does not prevent patients with CHF from deriving systemic and regional benefits from physical training.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1764-1767
Number of pages4
JournalCirculation
Volume95
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 1997

Keywords

  • carvedilol
  • exercise
  • heart failure
  • receptors, adrenergic, beta
  • regional blood flow
  • vasculature

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Physiology (medical)

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