Dear Dr. Iveta

you will find the answer of your question in this articles :

1- Effectiveness of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIT) and Continuous Endurance Training for VO2max Improvements: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials

2- Metabolic adaptations to short-term high-intensity interval training: a little pain for a lot of gain?

3- Physiological adaptations to low‐volume, high‐intensity interval training in health and disease

4- High-intensity interval training in cardiac rehabilitation

5- High-intensity interval exercise in chronic heart failure: protocol optimization

6- High-intensity interval training in patients with lifestyle-induced cardiometabolic disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

7- The Impact of High-Intensity Interval Training Versus Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training on Vascular Function: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

8- Is high-intensity interval training a time-efficient exercise strategy to improve health and fitness?

9- Cardiac rehabilitation in chronic heart failure: effect of an 8-week, high-intensity interval training versus continuous training

10- High-intensity interval running is perceived to be more enjoyable than moderate-intensity continuous exercise: implications for exercise adherence

i hope the best for you .

best regards

moustafa

http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/apnm-2013-0187#.VlYfqHYrLDc

Article Metabolic Adaptations to Short-term High-Intensity Interval ...

Article High-intensity interval running is perceived to be more enjo...

Article Physiological adaptations to low-volume, high-intensity inte...

Article High-Intensity Interval Exercise in Chronic Heart Failure: P...

Article Cardiac Rehabilitation in Chronic Heart Failure: Effect of a...

Article ''High-Intensity Interval Training in Cardiac Rehabilitation''

Article High-intensity interval training in patients with lifestyle-...

Article The Impact of High-Intensity Interval Training Versus Modera...

Article Effectiveness of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIT) and ...

Interesting topic, i like to follow up your research

The following debate between Stuart Biddle and Alan Batterham is also worth reading. Not only physiological,  but psychological processes need to be considered

http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/12/1/95

The point made by many colleagues in answer to this question is that in general there are certainly benefits to be accrued from high intensity interval training and broadly I would agree with that. However, the assumption that very high intensity short duration efforts (c15-30s) can universally substitute for any other intensity is false. For example, it is entirely possible to use very high intensity short efforts without heart rate ever exceeding 85% of maximum (HRM) and, although this may well improve VO2max and insulin sensitivity, a lot of literature suggests that exercise eliciting between 90-95% HRM (generally efforts of 1-4 minutes) appears to have greater efficacy for cardiac health, as demonstrated by a far greater number of measureable benefits. That is, not only improved insulin sensitivity and VO2max but also improved myocardial economy, LV mass, LV contractility, cardiomyocyte calcium handling and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.  Improved rates of cardiomyocyte contraction and relaxation have also been reported, the latter being an index of reduced fatigue. Which is particularly important for those with cardiovascular disease or other pathologies where, very often, global fatigue is common.

For the older individual or those with an existing pathology very high intensity, short duration intervals are simply not practical. Although still psychologically demanding, efforts of 1-4 minutes are potentially manageable.

Choice of modality is important and so if there are joint problems, supported exercise using a cycle ergometer or exercising in a swimming pool can be very useful carefully monitoring exercise intensity to ensure an appropriate stimulus (>90%HRM)can also provide the same efficacy.

Hopefully the point is made here that high intensity efforts can be 'aerobic' or 'anaerobic' and it is well established, from swimming research, that a set of 1 min intervals can be made aerobic or anaerobic by adjusting the rest interval between each rep. Longer rest intervals will mean that each rep occurs at a higher intensity and so the whole set is more anaerobic. Shorter rest intervals will reduce the ability to work as hard and so the whole set is aerobic. 

As an example of a good cardiovascular workout I would recommend 10 x 1 min hard/1min easy on a friction- or electromagnetically-braked cycle ergometer. At first the individual may only manage 3 repetitions but over the course of several weeks, building gradually each week, it should be possible to manage 10 repetitions with each work interval achieving >90%HRM during the last 15-30s of each rep.

I did this workout, three times per week for over a year following an MI and was able to reduce my myocardial scar by 50% something not demonstrated before or since(Godfrey et al, 2013, BMJ Case Rep doi:10.1136/bcr2012.007668).

Martinez-Vales et al., (2017) have just published a paper which is pretty interesting and worth a read for anyone interested in HIIT adaptations versus Endurance