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Exercise Training for Heart Failure

N/A

Recruiting

Led By Kanokwan Bunsawat, PhD

Research Sponsored by VA Office of Research and Development

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II or III

Be older than 18 years old

Must not have

NYHA Class IV or HF that cannot be stabilized on optimized pharmacotherapy

Acute coronary syndrome, infiltrative cardiomyopathy, or myocarditis

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up change from baseline skeletal muscle blood flow at 8 weeks

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial will study how well exercise training can improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for adults with heart failure who can consent, have a specific type of heart failure (HFpEF) where the heart pumps well but is stiff, and show certain blood markers. It's not for those with severe heart issues, orthopedic limits that prevent exercise, women on hormone therapy, smokers, or pregnant women.

What is being tested?

The study looks at how well patients with HFpEF respond to an 8-week exercise program compared to healthy people. The focus is on understanding why these patients struggle with exercise by measuring changes in muscle blood flow.

What are the potential side effects?

Since the intervention involves exercise training rather than medication, side effects may include typical post-exercise symptoms like muscle soreness or fatigue. However, risks are generally low and will be monitored.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

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My heart condition limits my physical activity but I can still perform light tasks.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

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My heart failure is severe and cannot be managed with medication.

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I have a heart condition such as acute coronary syndrome, infiltrative cardiomyopathy, or myocarditis.

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I am not currently on hormone replacement therapy.

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I cannot do exercises that require straightening my knee due to physical limitations.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ change from baseline six-minute walk test distance at 8 weeks

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~change from baseline six-minute walk test distance at 8 weeks

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and change from baseline six-minute walk test distance at 8 weeks for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Muscle blood flow

Six-minute walk test

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

1Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: Exercise trainingExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Patients with HFpEF will participate in the 8 weeks of supervised, two-legged, knee extensor exercise training for 3 days per week. Each exercise session will involve a 5-min warm-up and a 5-min cool-down, and exercise intensity will range between 40%-90% of maximal work rate. Maximal work rate will be re-assessed every two weeks.

0 / 5Eligibility criteria met