This study is being done to study how well the heart contracts and relaxes during exercise. In addition to traditional measures of heart function, we will use a new computer program that may improve understanding of why people feel shortness of breath or fatigue.
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is not well understood, although account for nearly half of all heart failure cases. This study aims to collect data about systolic (contracting portion of a heart beat) and diastolic (relaxing portion of a heart beat) dysfunction at rest and during exercise. Participants with normal cardiac function will serve as a control group and compared to participants who are at risk of heart failure.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
21
Aerobic cardiac exercise training will be provided over the 12 week study duration.
A 2D Doppler echocardiograph (image) of the heart will be captured during a single heart beat taken at rest and during cardiopulmonary exercise tests to measure left and right ventricular segmental systolic and diastolic strain measurements.
The cardiopulmonary exercise test consists of cycling exercise of mild and moderate intensity on an upright cycle ergometer on a tilting table (to facilitate imaging) for 6-10 minute periods within a one hour session.
Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Healthcare
La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States
Change in mean cardiac reserve as measured by strain rate
Myocardial deformation imaging (e.g. strain, strain rate, torsion) requires clear 2-dimensional echocardiography images that will be obtain at rest and during mild and moderate intensity exercise. Images will be captured during 6-10 minute bouts of exercise on a tilting exercise table. Comparisons will be made on resting and exercise values between groups. Our hypothesis is that strain rate will not increase in patients at risk of heart failure demonstrating lack of cardiovascular reserve.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Change in mean cardiac stroke volume
Stroke volume is the volume of blood (in milliliters) ejected during each heart contraction, It is measured by combined Doppler and 2-dimensional echocardiography. A surrogate measure of stroke volume (oxygen-pulse) can also be obtained during cardiopulmonary exercise testing by dividing the measured oxygen consumption by the heart rate. Our hypothesis is that stroke volume will plateau early after exercise onset in patients at risk of heart failure and this plateau will correlate with a reduction in strain rate.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
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