INTRODUCTION: Loss of muscle mass secondary to age and physical inactivity is clinically relevant in cardiac population, however dynamic resistance exercise prescription to these patients presents inconclusive in literature. OBJECTIVES: Collecting information and presenting the main guidelines related to resistance exercise prescribed in cardiac patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systematic search was performed, using the data bases LILACS, SciELO and MEDLINE. The descriptors used were: muscle strength, isometric exercise, physical effort, heart disease and artery coronary disease, which were surveyed separately and combined, considering for this review articles that were published between 2005 and 2010. RESULTS: From a total of 806 articles, 22 were selected to compose the review, 14 original articles, 2 dates literature articles and 6 review articles, beyond the chapter 8 of the book ACSM's guidelines (American College of Sports Medicine) for exercise testing & prescription, published in 2007. CONCLUSION: Resistance exercise, regardless of the varied methods used to prescribe the specific components of training, has proved effective for increasing muscle strength of upper and lower limbs in patients with and its application can be considered safe for these patients, provided that prescribed correctly.
Muscle strength; Isometric exercise; Physical effort; Heart disease; Artery coronary disease
