In this study we assessed the short- and long-term effects of 4-weeks of exercise training (MI) soon after myocardial infarction in patients on beta-blocker treatment. Thirty-seven male patients <= 65 years of age were included in the study, 19 of them randomized to exercise training (ET) and 18 to a control group (Ctr). Cumulated work (CW), calculated in kiloJoules (kJ), was recorded before immediately after the intervention period and again six months after the MI. In the short term the mean (SD) CW increased by 22% (from 65 (20) to 79 (25) kJ) in the ET group, compared with no change in the Ctr patients (65 (24) versus 65 (21) kJ) (p = 0.009). At late follow-up CW was 14% above baseline in the ET patients (65 (20) versus 74 (20) kJ) p = 0.036, compared with only 6% in the 15 Ctr patients who were still available for follow-up (68 (24) versus 72 (29) kJ), but without a significant between-group difference. In post-MI patients on beta-blocker treatment, and with a high baseline exercise capacity, physical training improved exercise capacity in the short term, but there was no significant between-group difference at long-term follow-up.

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