However, current guidelines for CAD vary considerably, most notably in terms of exercise intensity. 1, 2 With the intention of improving quality of life, maintaining functional independence, and as a proxy for survival, 3–5 cardiac rehabilitation (CR) exercise training guidelines explicitly target improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, an important clinical outcome. As an integral component of contemporary secondary prevention models, exercise training can contribute to improved physical and mental health but, in its current form, may not reduce all-cause or cardiovascular mortality. Only one serious adverse event was possibly related to HIIT.Ĭardiac rehabilitation, Exercise training, High-intensity interval training, Coronary artery disease, Cardiorespiratory fitness, National Health Service IntroductionĮxercise training is a central pillar of multidisciplinary rehabilitation for people with coronary artery disease (CAD). After adjusting for age, sex, and study site, the difference between arms was 1.04 mL.kg −1.min −1 (95% CI, 0.38 to 1.69 P = 0.002). Secondary outcomes included cardiovascular disease risk markers, cardiac structure and function, adverse events, and health-related quality of life. The primary outcome was the change in cardiorespiratory fitness at 8 week follow-up.

MISS was 20–40 min of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (60–80% maximum capacity). HIIT consisted of 10 × 1 min intervals of vigorous exercise (>85% maximum capacity) interspersed with 1 min periods of recovery. Participants were randomized to twice-weekly HIIT ( n = 187) or MISS ( n = 195) for 8 weeks. We conducted a multi-centre RCT, recruiting 382 patients from 6 outpatient CR centres.

High intensity cardio