Physical activity is recommended as a component of healthy lifestyle. Physical inactivity is an established risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Exercise is associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that substantial health benefits, for cardiovascular disease risk reduction, can be achieved by moderate-intensity physical activity of at least 150 minutes a week, or vigorous-intensity physical activity of at least 75 minutes a week, or any combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity physical activity. It is also emphasises that any amount of physical activity leads to health benefits.
Physical activity improves systolic blood pressure, angina symptoms and exercises tolerance in patients without re-vascularisation and patients with re-vascularisation achieve improved physical activity, the quality of life, and exercise tolerance. Regular exercise has a favorable effect on many of the established risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Benefits of Regular Exercise on Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Increase in exercise tolerance
Reduction in body weight
Reduction in blood pressure
Reduction in total cholesterol level in the blood- Reduction in bad (LDL and total) cholesterol level and increase in good (HDL) cholesterol level in the blood.
Increase in insulin sensitivity- In diabetic patients, regular activity favorably affects the body’s ability to use insulin to control glucose levels in the blood
There are a number of physiological benefits of exercise;
️ 2 examples are improvements in muscular function and strength and improvement in the body’s ability to take in and use oxygen (maximal oxygen consumption or aerobic capacity). As one’s ability to transport and use oxygen improves, regular daily activities can be performed with less fatigue. This is particularly important for patients with cardiovascular disease, whose exercise capacity is typically lower than that of healthy individuals.
️ There is also evidence that exercise training improves the capacity of the blood vessels to dilate in response to exercise or hormones, consistent with better vascular wall function and an improved ability to provide oxygen to the muscles during exercise.
️ Patients with heart disease who participate in an exercise program report improvements in measures of quality of life, such as more self-confidence, lower stress, and less anxiety.
Exercise training has been shown to
️ increase maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max)
️ improve endothelial function
️ improve myocardial reserve flow
Physiotherapists play a huge role in customizing exercise programmes in cardiac rehabilitation sessions. Exercise in the form of cardiac rehabilitation sessions decreases depression in heart disease patients who suffer a major coronary event and reduces hospital admissions and shows a long-term decrease in all-cause mortality in patients heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction.
Ruvinika Gamlath
References
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.CIR.0000048890.59383.8D
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