MSc by Research in Sports and Exercise Sciences - Exercise and The Failing Heart in Leeds United Kingdom | University of Leeds

Our study examines how the multi-organ and systemic dysfunctions associated with heart failure combine to create fatigue, reduce exercise capacity, and diminish both quality of life and longevity. We analyze how physical activity produces beneficial effects and identify the most effective training approaches to maximize these outcomes.

Using rodent models of heart failure, we study the processes behind cardiac structural remodeling and electromechanical changes, how exercise can counteract these alterations, and potential improvements in skeletal muscle function. In human heart failure patients, we assess how exercise therapies can restore healthy cardiac architecture, reduce pulmonary hypertension, and enhance respiratory muscle performance. Our evaluation methods include ultrasound imaging of cardiovascular and vascular endothelial function, electrical stimulation for neuromuscular assessment, and comprehensive cardiopulmonary and neuromuscular exercise testing with detailed pulmonary gas exchange analysis.