Patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and less than 20% ejection fraction increase exercise capacity and have less severe arrhythmia after controlled exercise training.

The results of this pilot study suggest that patients with a diminished ejection fraction as low as 16% can safely perform an exercise program. A significant improvement in peak VO2 and maximal work rate was achieved. Moreover, this study suggests that exercise training might diminish the severity of asymptomatic ventricular arrhythmia; however a larger controlled study is needed to confirm these findings.