In a new study from the University of Bern, Switzerland, researchers examined more than 30,000 heart patients and found that becoming active later in life can be nearly as beneficial to survival as continued activity.
These encouraging findings highlight how patients with coronary heart disease may benefit by preserving or adopting a physically active lifestyle.
Regular physical activity is advised for patients with heart disease, but recommendations are largely based on studies that used either a single assessment or an average of activity levels assessed over time.
In the study, the team examined activity levels over time and their relationship to the risk of death in patients with heart disease.
The analysis included 33,576 patients with coronary heart disease from nine longitudinal cohorts. The average age was 62.5 years and 34% were women. The follow-up was about 7 years.
The researchers found compared to patients who were inactive over time, the risk of all-cause death was 50% lower in those who were active over time, 45% lower in those who were inactive but became active, and 20% lower in those who had been active but became inactive.
Similar results were found for death due to heart disease.
Compared to those who remained inactive, the risk for heart mortality was 51% lower among those who remained active and 27% lower for those whose activity increased.
Heart mortality was not different for those whose activity decreased over time, compared to those who remained inactive.
The results show that continuing an active lifestyle over the years is associated with the greatest longevity.
However, patients with heart disease can overcome prior years of inactivity and obtain survival benefits by taking up exercise later in life.
On the other hand, the benefits of activity can be weakened or even lost if the activity is not maintained.
The findings suggest the benefits to heart patients of being physically active, regardless of their previous habits.
If you care about exercise, please read studies about this walking exercise may boost health and fitness in older people and findings of this exercise is key to improving older people’s longevity.
For more information about exercise and your health, please see recent studies about this easy daily exercise may help you lower high blood pressure and results showing that this simple exercise can strongly benefit people with heart problems.
The study was presented at ESC Congress 2021. One author of the study is Dr. Nathalia Gonzalez.
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