A pilot study to investigate the safety of exercise training and testing in cardiac rehabilitation patients

We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the safety of the shuttle walking test (SWT) and exercise training for cardiac patients in community-based cardiac rehabilitation settings. Overall, 33 cardiac patients were tested (19 males and 14 females, 67 ± 8 years). Eleven cardiac patients (testing group) and 22 cardiac patients (training group) underwent ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring during the SWT and exercise training during a long-term cardiac rehabilitation programme. Frequency of ECG events was reported for the two groups. Chi-square test was performed to determine associations between the incidence of cardiovascular events and poor functional capacity (SWT <450 m). The findings showed only minor events provoked during the SWT or exercise training, and no event-related hospitalisation, syncope episodes or fatality. The most important cardiac event was silent, myocardial ischaemia (testing group: 27.3%; training group: 18%). Poor functional capacity was not associated with the risk of a cardiac event during exercise (testing group: X ²=0, p=0.99, phi=0.24; training group: X²=2.1, p=0.15, phi=-0.42). In conclusion, supervised exercise testing and training are accompanied only by minor cardiovascular events and they can be carried out safely in community-based cardiac rehabilitation settings.