This systematic review analyzed data from 2,025 patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The researchers looked at how exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation affected outcomes compared to standard care. The study combined results from multiple sources to see the overall impact of this intervention.
The main findings showed a significantly lower risk of being readmitted to the hospital for those who participated in the exercise program. Participants also walked farther in the six-minute walk test and showed improvements in peak oxygen uptake and physical functioning scores. These results suggest better functional capacity and quality of life for patients engaging in this type of rehabilitation.
Some measures like left atrial volume index showed modest reduction, while others like left ventricular ejection fraction remained unchanged. The study noted that data on blood pressure, lipid profile, and glycemic control were limited or inconsistently reported, which prevented a full meta-analysis on those specific points. No serious adverse events or discontinuations were reported, indicating good tolerability for the exercise regimen.