Comparing the Effects of Combining Cognitive and Physical Exercise Training on Cognition, and Cerebral Blood Flow Regulation in Men and Women With Chronic Heart Failure

Prior treatment

• Acute cardiovascular event 1 month prior to randomization, including emergency visit or hospitalization for decompensated HF, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and transient ischemic attack

Other illness

• Planned cardiovascular intervention within 6 months (implantation of any cardiac device, cardiac revascularization, heart transplantation)
• Contraindications for exercise testing (e.g., uncorrected severe aortic or carotid stenosis, severe pulmonary hypertension, severe non-revascularizable coronary disease including left main coronary stenosis, significant myocardial ischemia or arrhythmia during low-intensity exercise, acute HF)
• Severe respiratory disease
• Non-cardiopulmonary limitation to exercise (e.g., arthritis, claudication or any peripheral neurological disease including other neurodegenerative diseases such as disabling Parkinson)
• Uncontrolled diabetes or untreated thyroid dysfunction
• Current or recent malignancy with life expectancy \< 1 year

Other

• Severe exercise intolerance
• Chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis
• Unable to read the informed consent form or unable to understand the oral explanations provided by the assessor.

• Age ≥ 50 years old
• Stable chronic HF on maximally tolerated background treatment for at least 2 months (stable therapy with ACE-I, ARBs and MRA for at least 2 months), regardless of LVEF
• with no limitation of physical activity in ordinary physical activity (i.e. NYHA class I), moderate symptoms (i.e. NYHA class II) or marked limitation in activity (i.e. NYHA class III)
• Able to perform cognitive and physical training.