Effectiveness of a Short Duration Training Programme in the Physical Fitness of Patients with High-Moderate Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Introduction: It is not known what the minimum duration of training programme is effective in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness in physical fitness and exercise of the training programme of 8 weeks of duration with two modalities (2 or 3 sessions per week) in subjects with moderate-high risk of cardiovascular disease in a primary care setting. Main Findings: A significant increase in the six-minute walk test was observed (from 488 ± 87.4 m to 532 ± 68.0 m, p < 0.0001). A significant increase of exercise duration (from 11.4 ± 3.0 min to 12.3 ± 3.0 min, p < 0.0001) and a delay in the anaerobic threshold (from 8.8 ± 2.9 min to 10.1 ± 2.5 min, p < 0.0001) during the ergometric tests were also observed. The proportion of patients exercising regularly increased significantly (from 36.1% to 83.3%, p < 0.0001). Both modalities of training programme improved fitness and physical activity, without significant differences between them. Conclusion: Our study shows that a structured training programme of two months of duration with 2 or 3 sessions per week significantly improves the fitness and physical activity of patients with moderate-high risk of cardiovascular disease.