Exercise training was a component of secondary prevention in cardiac rehabilitation but beneficial effects of regular physical activities seemed to depend of type, duration and intensity of physical exercise. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of two short programs with similar training load (TL), based on combined aerobic–resistance training (CT) or aerobic training (AT) on cardiorespiratory responses of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

Sixteen CHD patients (59.2±6.5y, 1.75±0.07m, 84.3±14.9kg, left ventricular ejection fraction: 0.53±0.08) performed in random condition four weeks of exercise rehabilitation based on CT (n=8) and AT (n=8). Maximal tolerated power (MTP), peak values of oxygen uptake   and heart rate (HR_peak), mechanical power, oxygen uptake and heart rate values associated at the ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) were determined during an incremental cycling exercise test before and after training periods. TL, expressed in arbitrary unit (AU), was quantified using the session rating of perceived exertion.

No significant difference was found in TL between both modalities (CT: 3964±277 vs. AT: 3900±190 AU, P=0.300). Both training induced significant increases in   (15.5±2.8 vs. 19.2±5.3mL.min⁻¹.kg⁻¹, P=0.026 and 15.9±4.1 vs. 17.3±4.4mL.min⁻¹.kg⁻¹, P=0.037, for CT and AT, respectively) and MTP (CT: 110.4±24.9 vs. 139.6±24.8 watts, P<0.001 and AT: 109.0±27.8 vs. 133.3±36.9 watts, P=0.003). Only CT significantly improved power (46.1±23.6 vs. 68.2±22.8 watts, P=0.001) and physiological values associated at VAT (VO₂: 10.3±2.7 vs. 13.5±2.8mL.min⁻¹.kg⁻¹, P=0.001, HR: 77.0±7.3 vs. 83.6±8.8% of HR_peak, P=0.020).

These results suggested that combined aerobic-resistance and aerobic training improved cardiorespiratory responses with different central and peripheral adaptations. This might be taken into account for exercise rehabilitation according initial patient limitations.