Can Azerbaijan national dancing provide a suitable exercise stimulus for heart failure cardiac rehabilitation participants?

Kamilova, Z; Paton, B; Loosemore, M; Buckley, J P

Abstract

Background/Introduction Whilst exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has a strong evidence-base there remains a poor uptake and adherence. Global access to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) continues to be low, and even in countries with good CR provision, uptake is <40% and low in females and in those with heart failure.(1) Dance has a long history for humans as a widely accepted socio-cultural physical activity. A small number of dance studies from Europe and South America have shown equally effective outcomes when compared to typically recommended CR exercise. Azerbaijan is a country recently developing CR programs and thus has an opportunity to be innovative in ways to attract patients to participate, for which dance therapy could be an option, especially for females. Purpose This study has been performed as a first step to developing a future randomized controlled trial to measure the effectiveness of Azerbaijani Cultural Dances on cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life of chronic heart failure patients. Thus, the primary aim of the study was to determine the cardiorespiratory demands of three different movement intensities found in Azerbaijani National Dances, which could potentially be used as exercise for patients with heart failure. Methods A group of healthy medical rehabilitation practitioners were recruited to perform 15 mins of Azerbaijan dance, incorporating three different dance moves for 5 mins. Oxygen uptake (VO2) was measured continuously measures during the dancing via an "online" portable pulmonary gas exchange system. Results Fourteen participants (11 females, mean age 33 +/-12 years) completed the 15 mins dance routine. The VO2 ranges of the three levels were: 5-18; 8-28; and 12-51 ml.kg-1.min-1, respectively. These equate to intensity ranges between 1.5 to 15 metabolic equivalents. Conclusion The range of intensities found when performing three types and levels of Azerbaijan cultural dance demonstrates they can potentially be adapted for various fitness levels found in heart failure patients. Confirmation of these procedures and safe control of exercise intensity during these Azerbaijani dance moves can now move to being assessed for appropriateness with a group of heart failure patients. If and when these procedures are then confirmed, an exercise intervention randomized controlled trial involving Azerbaijani dance can then proceed.

Citation

Kamilova, Z., Paton, B., Loosemore, M., & Buckley, J. P. (2025, April). Can Azerbaijan national dancing provide a suitable exercise stimulus for heart failure cardiac rehabilitation participants?. Presented at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2025, Milan, Italy

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Abstract
• Conference Name: ESC Preventive Cardiology 2025
• Start Date: Apr 3, 2025
• End Date: Apr 5, 2025
• Acceptance Date: May 19, 2025
• Online Publication Date: May 19, 2025
• Publication Date: May 19, 2025
• Deposit Date: Jun 2, 2025
• Journal: European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
• Print ISSN: 2047-4873
• Electronic ISSN: 2047-4881
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 32
• Issue: Supplement_1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf236.375
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/1242549
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/eurjpc/article/32/Supplement_1/zwaf236.375/8136625