An Assessment of Cardiovascular Functional Capacity of a Group of Chronic Heart Failure Patients Using the 6-Minute Walk Test in a Cameroonian Urban Setting

Background: Chronic heart failure is a public health problem worldwide.It has a high mortality rate and is accompanied by a decreased functional capacity and alteration of the quality of life.Objective: This study aimed to assess the cardiovascular functional capacity of a group of patients suffering from heart failure using the 6-minute walk test (6 MWT).Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in the cardiology unit of Douala's general hospital for 4 months.We included all eligible patients aged 18 years or more who had stable chronic heart failure and gave informed consent.Those who had an acute coronary syndrome (≤1 month), tachycardia (HR ≥ 120 bpm), high blood pressure (SBP ≥ 180 mmHg and/or DBP ≥ 100 mmHg) and reduced mobility due to orthopaedic reasons were excluded.A 6 MWT was done according to the American Thoracic Society guidelines.The 6 MWT result was considered poor for < 300 m distance, the average for 300 -450 m and good for >450 m.Results: We recruited a total of 81 patients (61.7% women) with a mean age of 65.9 ± 10.6 years.The most frequent risk factor for heart failure was high blood pressure (77.8%), alcohol consumption (69.1%)