The American Heart Association (AHA) has shared new advice for doctors.
Instead of quickly giving medicine to people with slightly high blood pressure or cholesterol, doctors should first encourage more physical activity.
In other words, doctors are being asked to “prescribe” exercise to help improve heart health and lower the chances of heart problems or stroke.
This recommendation could help millions of people. In the United States, around 53 million adults have slightly high blood pressure, and about 71 million have slightly high cholesterol. While these numbers are not high enough to be called dangerous, they can still raise the risk of serious health problems over time.
The good news is that lifestyle changes—like regular exercise, eating healthy foods, and quitting smoking—can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. These changes can be just as effective as medication in many cases.
To support this shift, the AHA says that doctors should talk to patients about how active they are at every visit. If needed, doctors can connect patients with health coaches, community programs, or online tools that encourage movement.
Even small changes in daily activity can have a big impact. Research shows that regular exercise can lower blood pressure by 3 to 4 points and reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) by 3 to 6 points. These small improvements add up and can protect the heart over time.
The AHA also reminds people that they don’t need to make huge changes overnight. Simple actions like walking more, taking the stairs, or stretching during breaks can all help. The key is to move more in ways that feel doable and build up slowly.
Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise (like brisk walking or biking) or 75 minutes of intense exercise (like running) each week. It’s also helpful to do strength training exercises twice a week.
Exercise doesn’t just help with blood pressure and cholesterol. People who stay active have a 21% lower risk of heart disease and a 36% lower risk of dying from heart problems compared to those who don’t move much.
These new AHA guidelines focus on preventing problems before they start. By encouraging exercise early, doctors can help patients take control of their health in simple and natural ways.
The recommendation is based on a study led by Bethany Barone Gibbs and published in the journal Hypertension. It supports the idea that even small steps toward being more active can lead to big health benefits later in life.
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