Combination Exercise Benefits Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Patients with coronary artery disease are likely to experience many benefits when exercise programs combine aerobic training (AT) with resistance training (RT), according to the results of a new study, published in the September issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Recent guidelines for patients with coronary artery disease recommend that patients perform one set of six to ten repetitions of RT. According to Susan Marzolini, from the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada, and colleagues, "Although recommendations for the AT prescription are widely known, the RT prescription when combined with AT remains unclear.”

The authors enrolled 72 patients with known coronary artery disease for the study. The participants were randomly assigned aerobic training (5 days/week) or resistance and aerobic training combined. The group performing the combination exercises was given one to three resistance training exercises in addition to aerobics, two days per week. Fifty-three subjects completed the program which measured VO2(peak), ventilatory anaerobic threshold(VAT), body composition, strength, endurance and adherence to the program.

Compared to the AT group, the AT/RT group experienced reduced body fat, and greater increase in strength and endurance. Patients who were given three sets of resistance training exercise had lower adherence to the number of sets performed versus those who were given just one set. Increase in VO2(peak) was not significantly different between the two groups. VAT improvements were significant in the group who performed three sets of resistance exercises versus one, as were gains in lean muscle mass.

The authors conclude, "The combination of RT and AT yields greater improvements in cardiovascular endpoints of exercise performance, skeletal muscle function, and body composition compared to AT alone, in spite of a 28% reduction in the actual AT training stimulus. These data strongly support a combined training intervention in CAD patients, and supports the use of multiple-set RT for patients desiring an increased RT stimulus."

Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008;40:1557-1564.

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Combined exercise works better
Men with Muscles Live Longer - Study ◦

Combination Exercise Benefits Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Study - Men with Muscles Live Longer

Everyone agrees that aerobic exercise leads to good cardiovascular health. It’s common for healthcare providers to emphasize the benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness, but a new study shows that men with increased muscular strength are likely to live longer. The study was presented at the American College of Sports Medicine 55th Annual Meeting. Senior investigator Jonatan R. Ruiz, PhD, from the unit for preventive nutrition at the department of biosciences and nutrition at Novum, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden, says, "These findings prove the benefits of having greater muscular strength and thus require further research to confirm the combined effects of strength and CRF”(cardio respiratory fitness).

The research was performed between 1980 and 1989, and included 8762 men who were tested for muscular strength and cardio respiratory fitness. Mortality rates were determined December 31, 2003. The men with decreased muscular strength had a 60% higher risk of cardiovascular disease. According to Dr. Ruiz, "This study examines the association between muscular strength and mortality. Other studies used a single measure of muscular strength, but ours used 2 tests," he said. "Muscular strength and CRF combine to provide protective effects against all-cause mortality in men."

The outcome seen is different when compared to other studies that measure the effects of physical fitness and activity alone, warranting further studies about the benefits of staying strong. It challenges the concept that walking and regular physical activity are the best for prevention of heart disease and increasing longevity.

You can start by incorporating weight or resistance training into your daily routine. The benefits of maintaining or improving muscle strength extend beyond the risk of dying from all causes. Improved muscle strength helps everyone maintain independence and prevents disability from injuries. Improved strength allows us to maintain quality of life into our senior years.

Speak with your doctor before engaging in any new exercise activity. You can read more about resistance training and the benefits, as well as recommendations from the American Heart Association here. ◦

Study - Men with Muscles Live Longer