High-intensity exercise is safe and effective for long-term heart transplant patients, according to a new study.

Researchers found that during a vigorous workout exercise heart transplant recipients can gain better control of their blood pressure. It appears to be more effective than moderate-intensity workouts, HealthDay reported.

"The impaired heart rate response has been considered a hindrance for more demanding high-intensity training, but this new study documents that stable heart transplant recipients benefit from this type of training more than from the moderate training that has been recommended so far. Importantly, the training is also safe and well received by patients," Christian Dall, lead author or the study, said in a statement.

For the study, Dall and his colleagues compared the effects of 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training versus continued moderate training in 16 stable heart transplant recipients who had been living with their new heart for more than one year.

The trial revealed that high-intensity interval training is safe in heart transplant patients, and the effect on exercise capacity and blood pressure control is superior to moderate intensity training. VO2 max, or maximal oxygen uptake, increased by 17 percent in patients performing high-intensity interval training compared with 10 percent in patients performing continued moderate training. Systolic blood pressure decreased significantly in patients in the high-intensity group, while it remained unchanged in patients in the moderate intensity group. Peak heart rate also increased in the high-intensity group but not in the moderate intensity group. Heart rate recovery improved in both groups.

Researchers said the findings may be especially encouraging for athletes who compete in the Transplant Games of America, whose most recent event was held earlier this month in Houston, and those training for upcoming summer and winter World Transplant Games.

The findings were recently published in the American Journal of Transplantation.