For people with coronary artery disease (CAD) who are basically in good condition, high-intensity interval training is a safe alternative to traditional cardiac rehab and may provide additional health benefits, according to Canadian researchers.

Dr. Darren E. R. Warburton from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver told that the finding “has important practical implications for current rehabilitation programs since it affords greater training options.”

In the 16-week study, reported in the American Journal of Cardiology, seven high-function men with CAD performed a traditional cardiac rehabilitation program consisting of a standardized 10-minute warm-up, a 30 minute aerobic workout at 65 percent of maximum, standardized resistance training, and a 10-minute cool-down.

Seven matched men performed the same warm-up, resistance training, and cool-down, but the workout period involved 2-minute bouts of high-intensity work phases at 90 percent of maximum followed by 2-minute recovery bouts at 40 percent.

Both groups were required to train for 30 minutes per day, 2 days per week for 16 weeks and most engaged in an additional three workout sessions per week.

The investigators note that compared with traditional continuous aerobic exercise training, high-intensity interval training produced a similar improvement in aerobic fitness and greater improvement in anaerobic tolerance.

These additional anaerobic benefits were achieved without increasing the risk to the patient, the researchers conclude, and “would be of particular benefit for the performance of many activities of daily living.”

SOURCE: American Journal of Cardiology, May 1, 2005.