Comparing Effects of Moderate and High-Intensity Interval Aerobic Exercise on Heart and Blood Vessel Health in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of different aerobic exercise methods on endothelial function in patients with ischaemic heart disease IHD. The study focuses on comparing long high-intensity interval training HIIT, short HIIT, and moderate-intensity training MIT to evaluate their impact on blood vessel health, cardiorespiratory fitness, brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF levels, and parasympathetic nervous system activity. This multicenter randomized trial will include 132 men and women aged 45 to 75 years, diagnosed with IHD between three and twelve months prior, and without exercise limitations. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups moderate-intensity continuous cycling MIT, short HIIT involving 1-minute intense intervals, or long HIIT with 4-minute intense intervals. Each participant will exercise on a cycle ergometer three times per week for 12 weeks, totaling 36 supervised sessions. Exercise intensity will be individually set based on cardiopulmonary exercise testing and adjusted midway through the program. Participants are asked to avoid additional exercise training but may engage in light physical activity as recommended. Assessments will occur before the intervention, at 6 weeks, and after 12 weeks, measuring physiological and psychological variables. Researchers will evaluate changes in endothelial function, aerobic efficiency, cardiopulmonary performance, BDNF levels, pulmonary function, heart rate variability, echocardiographic markers, body composition, and cognitive abilities. The study includes careful monitoring and comparison of these health indicators to understand how exercise type influences outcomes in IHD patients.

Aerobic Exercise-induced Effect on Endothelial Function in Patients With Ischaemic Heart Disease