Márcio Garcia Menezes et al. Eduardo Lima Garcia Leandro Tolfo Franzoni Vanessa Grings Luiz Claudio Danzmann
Abstract
Background:
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a syndrome associated to decrease functional capacity, is quite difficult to manage. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been used to treat symptoms and to improve functional capacity of patients with HFpEF. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the immediate effects and after 1 h of IMT on arterial pulsatile hemodynamics and on hemodynamic indices of left ventricular filling derived from Doppler echocardiography in patients with HFpEF.
Methods:
Eighteen patients with HFpEF who underwent IMT at an intensity of 80% of maximum inspiratory pressure were evaluated by Doppler echocardiogram in the pre, post-immediate and post-late periods; furthermore, pulsatile hemodynamic variables were collected. Functional capacity was assessed using the 6-minute walk test.
Results:
The population was composed predominantly of women (66.7%), mean age of 61.3 (7.2) years. Modifications were observed in the non-invasive LV filling pressure index (E/e’) (pre: 10.33 (SD, 3.15) vs post: 8.73 (SD, 2.24); p < 0.001) and in the pulse wave velocity (pre: 8.33 (SD, 1.67) vs post: 7.63 (SD, 1.66) m/s; p < 0.001), as well as pulse pressure (pre: 54.81 (SD, 18.73) vs post: 48.52 (SD, 15.74) mm Hg; p = 0.023).
Conclusion:
Our results demonstrated that a unique session of high-intensity IMT improved hemodynamic indices of LV filling and arterial stiffness in patients with HFpEF.