Adherence
Using peak exercise indices (e.g., %VO2peak, %HRpeak) to prescribe exercise intensity in CVD patients is unreliable and should be replaced by threshold-based methods (VT1, VT2) determined via Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET).
Do not rely on 'percentage of max heart rate' to guide your exercise. This number is often inaccurate for heart patients. Instead, undergo a Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) to find your Ventilatory Thresholds (VT1 and VT2). Train between these thresholds. This ensures you are working hard enough to benefit, but not so hard that you are unsafe. Re-test if your fitness improves significantly.
An important problem associated with using these indices of peak exercise capacity for exercise prescription is that not all CVD patients achieve a (near-) maximal effort during CPET... There is considerable inconsistency between indicators derived from peak exercise parameters in CVD patients, highlighting the need for standardization and adjustment of the current guidelines.
Why this rating
Based on multiple studies showing inconsistencies and failure to achieve maximal effort in CVD patients.
Source
Exercise intensity assessment and prescription in cardiovascular rehabilitation and beyond: why and how: a position statement from the Secondary Prevention and Rehabilitation Section of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology
Dominique Hansen et al. · European Journal of Preventive Cardiology · 2021
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