J.A. St. Cyr, MD, PhD; Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates, P.C.; Denver, CO
International Journal of Cardiology, July 2008
Abstract
Patients with advanced heart failure are exercise intolerant. Low cellular energy levels in the failing heart have been proposed. Energy enhancing substrates have revealed mixed results. Ribose, a pentose monosaccharide, has shown to replenish low myocardial energy levels, improving cardiac dysfunction following ischemia, and improving ventilation efficiency in patients with heart failure. As current pharmaceuticals do not address cellular energy levels, this study was designed to investigate the role of ribose on ventilation at anaerobic threshold in congestive heart failure patients. D-ribose (5gms/dose, tid) was assessed in 16 NYHA class III-IV, heart failure patients with VO2, tidal volume/VCO2, heart rate/tidal volume evaluated at 8 weeks. All patients had a significant improvement in ventilator parameters at anaerobic threshold, along with a 44% Weber class improvement. Ribose improved the ventilator exercise status in advanced heart failure patients.