Table 1 Exclusion criteria for the HEAL study

 - Acute heart attack (recent 3–6 months) or unstable angina

 - Uncontrolled atrial or ventricular arrhythmias

 - Aortic dissecting aneurysm

 - Severe aortic stenosis

 - Acute endocarditis / pericarditis

 - Uncontrolled high blood pressure (> 180/100 mmHg)

 - Acute thromboembolism

 - Acute or severe heart failure

 - Acute or severe respiratory failure

 - Uncontrolled postural hypotension

 - Uncontrolled acute decompensated diabetes mellitus or low blood sugar

 - A recent fracture in the last month.

 - Coincident participation in any intervention trial

 - HMB contraindication, intolerance, or allergy

 - Have regularly performed exercise (> 20 min > 3 days/week) in the last 3 months

 - Malignant diseases (exceptions: basal or squamous-cell skin carcinoma or carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix)

 - Revascularization within 1 year

 - Severe loss of vision, hearing, or communicative ability

 - Conditions preventing cooperation