Cardiovascular Effects of Preferred Home-based Exercise Training in Systolic Heart Failure

Inclusion Criteria: * women and men * age 30-75 years * chronic heart failure (NYHA II/III), left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% be echo * disease duration ≥ 6 month * medical therapy accruing to guidelines (drug, devices, including CRT) * written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * acute myocarditis * instable angina * heart surgery (e.g. ICD implantation, bypass) with last 6 weeks; CRT implantation within the last 6 months before study start * severe cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, cardiac decompensation, ICD shock, PCI due to instable angina) \< 6 weeks before study start * preplanned hospital admission or intervention (e.g. planned revascularization, ICD implantation) * uncorrected valve regurgitation or stenosis (\> second degree) * safety concerns regarding or other reasons against exercise training * severe depression * regular exercise training within the last 6 weeks * life expectancy \< 1 year