Circulatory changes from physical training

Physical training of patients with ischaemic heart disease results in changes in both the central and the peripheral circulation. The heart rate and the oxygen consumption of the myocardium are reduced whereas no improvement in cardiac function or the collateral circulation can be demonstrated. The improvement in the physical working capacity is due mainly to peripheral changes as the arterio-venous oxygen deficiency increases on the basis of accelerated aerobic metabolism in the trained musculature.