Effects of walking and strength training on resting and exercise cardiovascular responses in patients with intermittent claudication

Background: Exercise training is recommended as the fi rstline therapy for intermittent claudication patients. However, the eff ects of exercise therapy on cardiovascular function of these patients have been poorly studied. Th e aim of this study is to compare the eff ects of walking and strength training on cardiovascular responses assessed at rest and during exercise in patients with intermittent claudication. Patients and methods: Th irty-four patients with stable symptoms of intermittent claudication were randomized into two groups: strength training (ST) consisting of eight exercises, three sets of 10 repetitions, intensity of 11-13 on 15-grade Borg scale, 2-min interval between sets; and walking training (WT) consisting of walking on a treadmill, 15 bouts of 2-min, intensity of 11-13 on 15-grade Borg scale, with a 2-min interval between bouts. Before and aft er 12 weeks, blood pressure, heart rate and rate pressure product were measured at rest and during a progressive treadmill test until maximal claudication pain. Results: Fift een patients in each group completed the training program. Aft er the training programs, resting systolic blood pressure (ST:-6 ± 13 mmHg and WT:-3 ± 18 mmHg, P =.04), heart rate (ST:-6 ± 10 bpm and WT:-2 ± 9 bpm, P =.03), and rate pressure product (ST:-1485 ± 1442 mmHg*bpm and WT:-605 ± 2145 mmHg*bpm, P =.01) decreased signifi cantly and similarly in both groups. Submaximal systolic blood pressure (ST:-14 ± 23 mmHg and WT:-6 ± 23 mmHg, P =.02), and rate pressure product (ST:-1579 ± 3444 mmHg*bpm and WT:-1264 ± 3005 mmHg*bpm, P =.04) decreased signifi cantly and similarly in both groups. Th ere were no changes in submaximal heart rate aft er ST and WT. Maximal systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and rate pressure product did not change in either group, although maximal exercise time increased similarly in the ST and WT groups (+31 ± 19%, and +31 ± 32%, respectively, P <.01). Conclusions: Strength and walking trainings promoted similar increases in walking capacity and decreases in resting and submaximal exercise cardiovascular load.