Study of acute cardiovascular adaptations to isotonic exercise in chronic heart failure (CHF) and healthy control subjects (HCS). 8 CHF and 12 age matched HCS; leg-press machine; portapres cuff on a finger of a hand not used for exercise. Three series of repetitions at 70% 1RM (previously determined). Offline process of pressure signal for production of time series of: Systolic (SP mmHg), and Diastolic Pressure (DP mmHg), Heart Rate (HR bpm), Stroke Volume (SV ml), Cardiac Output (CO l/min) and Total Peripheral Resistance (TPR pru) (modelflow for SV, CO and TPR). Pooled results of the three series and average measurements at control (C), at peak SP during exercise (E) and 20 s after the end (R). HCS: SP 163-228-180; DP 74-108-71; HR 84-115-108; SV 92-65-97; CO 8-7-10; TPR 0.91-1.35-0.64. Pressure values and HR increase at E and are still elevated at R; SV decreases at E and rebounds over control at R; CO remains almost unchanged at E and increases at R; TPR increases at E and decreases at R. CHF: SP 127-162-129; DP 63-86-56; HR 69-90-83; SV 91-67-102; CO 6-5-8; TPR 0.91-1.36-0.63. Pressures, HR and CO are lower than in HCS at all conditions. Changes in all variables are the same for HCS and CHF.

Conclusions: 

In CHF patients cardiovascular adaptations to isotonic exercise are perfectly adequate. In both groups, during the effort, HR increase balances SV decrease, and CO is unchanged: the mechanism should be discussed. Relevant post exercise vasodilatation accounts for anaerobic exercise.