Continuous blood pressure monitoring during high-intensity resistance training after myocardial infarction or percutaneous coronary intervention in a phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation setting

• Published in: Proceedings - Baylor University. Medical Center 2020-07, Vol.33 (3), p.342-345
• Main Authors: Brown, Katelyn D., Nguyen, Hoa L., Adams, Jenny
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angioplasty; Blood pressure; Blood pressure monitoring; cardiac rehabilitation; Cardiovascular disease; Employment; Heart attacks; high-intensity resistance training; leg press; Original Research; Pressure measurement; rate-pressure product; Rehabilitation; Strength training
• ISSN: 0899-8280; 1525-3252
• DOI: 10.1080/08998280.2020.1743052

The purpose of this study was to investigate the maximum rate-pressure product of cardiac rehabilitation participants after myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention, or both during high-intensity resistance training (HI-RT) using continuous blood pressure monitoring. Thirty-four individuals exercised on the leg press machine while being monitored with a continuous blood pressure monitor. The maximum rate-pressure product was significantly lower than the established safety threshold of 36,000 (P < 0.001), with a mean of 17,369 and standard deviation of 6634. Only 2% of observations had a value ≥36,000. These results suggest that cardiac rehabilitation patients can perform HI-RT while keeping their rate-pressure products under the safety threshold of 36,000 after myocardial infarction/percutaneous coronary intervention. Performance of HI-RT exercises contributes to return to precardiac event occupations, and continuous blood pressure monitoring may be an effective tool in evaluating the safety of HI-RT in this patient population.