Effects of Exergaming to Reduce Sedentary Time in Inactive Patients With Heart Failure

The goal of this to determine the effect of tailored exergaming for inactive patients with heart failure to reduce their sedentary time, improve their daily physical activity, exercise capacity, decrease frailty and improve health-related quality of life.Participants will, on a background of standard guideline-directed medical therapy patients, be randomised to tailored activity advice (control) or the Heart-Exergame (Heart-eXg) intervention for a period of 3 months. Patients randomised to the Heart-eXg group will receive an exergame with feedback and tailoring to adapt the exergaming advice. Patients will also be able to play with a person in their own network.

Inclusion Criteria:Diagnosed with symptomatic HF (NYHA II-IV) as diagnosed by cardiologist, (independent of Ejection Fraction: Patients with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrREF) or reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) can be included.Clinically stablePhysically inactive by self-report * (see 6.3.1)Older than 18 years, there is no upper age limit,Speak/understand the language of the country where the study is taking place.Wanting to use a smartphone for the study (if patients do not have a smartphone, they can borrow it from the study team for the duration of the study)Exclusion Criteria:Unable to use an exergame due to visual, hearing, cognitive impairment assessed by HF nurse or cardiologist.Not being able to perform the 6-minute walk test.Not being able or willing to wear an activity monitor.Currently included in a rehabilitation programLack of willingness to play an exergame.Co-morbidity that hinders benefitting for this form of exercise (history of stroke, severe cognitive dysfunction, or a life expectancy shorter than 6 months).