PROPRANOLOL TREATMENT SOON AFTER RECOVERED MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION DOES NOT ATTENUATE EXERCISE TRAINING EFFECT ON SERUM HIGH-DENISTY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL

Abstract

We evaluated the effect of aerobic conditioning on serum lipid and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in 72 men, ages 38 to 73, who began an ECG-monitored exercise program 30 days after acute myocardial infarction (MI). Forty-five men were started on stable doses of propranolol (Prop) ranging from 20 to 240 mg/day (mean, 108 mg/day) at hospital discharge, while the other 27 men (controls) did not take beta blockers. All subjects completed 8 to 12 exercise sessions over a four week period. Training heart rates ranged from 68% to 86% of maximum for 30 minutes per session. Measured VO2max increased 3.7 ml/kg/min (20%) in the Prop group and 4.1 ml/kg/min (22%) in the controls (p <.05 for both). Body weight and total cholesterol and triglyceride levels did not change significantly with training in either group. HDL-C levels averaged 29 mg/dl in patients taking Prop and 33 mg/dl in the controls (p <.05) before training but increased the same amount, 3 mg/dl, in both groups (p<.05) after training. There was no significant correlation between the change in HDL-C and Prop dose (r = −0.23). Twelve additional MI patients who did not exercise showed no significant change in either VO2 max or HDL-C