Abstract

Introduction

Materials & Methods

Results

Discussion & Conclusion

References

Discussion
Board

Heart failure or major left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is now though to affect 3% of population between ages of 25 and 75 years, while the prevalence in those aged over 80 years exceeds 10% (1,2). Exercise testing is widely used in the assessment of patients with both symptomatic and asymptomatic LV dysfunction to define the severity of the disease and assess the efficacy of pharmaceutical agents in clinical trials (3,4). The role of exercise capacity as a determinant of outcome in patients with chronic heart failure and LV dysfunction has been confirmed in a number of studies (5-7).The six-minute walk test (6 MW test) is a safe and simple method to assess exercise capacity in patients with both symptomatic and asymptomatic LV dysfunction. Recent studies confirmed its prognostic significance (5,6). The objective of this study was to identify determinants of exercise capacity in patients with LV dysfunction as assessed by 6 MW test.

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