Figure 1.

The figure presents a model of how left ventricular systolic dysfunction, induced by a myocardial insult with decreased CO, can lead to impaired exercise tolerance and how exercise training may reverse such changes. Pathophysiologic responses at each step are represented in large type and the corresponding mechanisms are represented in small type in brackets. Potential points at which exercise training has been shown to induce a physiologic response that might block progression to symptomatic exercise intolerance are shown with flat headed arrows. Adapted from reference 27.