We hope this research will help to encourage health care professsionals to offer physical activity to patients where appropriate

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Heart failure is a growing health problem worldwide with a poor prognosis and adverse effects upon patients' quality of life.

It is responsible for approximately 120,000 hospital admissions annually in the UK and is estimated to cost �360m to treat.

Heart failure does not mean the heart stops, it is simply not pumping blood as it should so the body does not get as much blood and oxygen as it needs.

It is caused by blocked arteries, past heart attack which has done some damage to the heart muscle or heart defects present since birth.

The researchers reviewed studies published between 1966 and December 2000 on the effect of exercise training with heart failure patients.

The majority of studies used either a cycle ergometer or a combination of different exercises including jogging, swimming and walking.

Positive impact

In general the people who took part were found to benefit.

However, the studies featured few women, or people who had other conditions as well as chronic heart failure.

Researcher Dr Mair, of the University of Liverpool, said: "The review indicates that the available literature regarding the effects of exercise training upon heart failure patients is encouraging.

"However, larger, long-term trials are required to clarify whether exercise has the desired physical and life-enhancing effects and thus should be widely recommended."

A spokesman from the British Heart Foundation said: "This report re-inforces the fact that a tailored programme of physical activity could improve the quality - and in some cases, the quantity - of life for some patients with chronic heart failure.

"Earlier this year, the BHF awarded �250,000 to cardiac rehab schemes across the UK, some of which are providing specialist exercise programmes for patients with heart failure.

"We hope this research will help to encourage health care professsionals to offer physical activity to patients where appropriate and we look forward to seeing the results of future trials."

The research is published in the British Journal of General Practice.