Inspiratory muscle training for patients with heart failure: a case study

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) may be defined as a complex clinical syndrome wherein the heart is unable to eject enough blood so as to meet the diverse tissues metabolic demands. HF patients may present inspiratory muscle
weakness, which adds up to the symptoms of fatigue and dyspnoea felt during exertion or daily life activities. This case study aimed at assessing the effect of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) in three HF-diagnosed patients. Patients were evaluated before and after training by means of vacuometry, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and baseline and transition dyspnoea indexes. IMT was done daily for 30 minutes for 12 weeks, with weekly increase of training load to 30% of peak inspiratory pressure. Training was found to increase peak inspiratory pressure and improve dyspnoea indexes scores in all three patients. Exertion intolerance, as measured by reduced heart frequency and longer testing time, was reduced in two patients. There was no change in peak oxygen uptake and
one patient had lowered ventilation. IMT hence proved to increase respiratory muscle strength, to lessen dyspnoea during usual activities and to better exertion tolerance in HF patients.