2023-07-04 11:45:47
Heart News: “Exercise, cardiovascular fashion”
“This routine goal is essential for everyone to take action and improve their overall health. We must turn daily physical exercise, walking, running, swimming or riding a bicycle, into a permanent fashion”, says the also professor at Complutese University.
And it should be noted that there is a large scientific evidence that supports this vibrant relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular health.
“It is well known by all doctors, especially in cardiology, that physical exercise carried out on a regular basis, even in the most intense forms of elite sport, entails a structural and functional adaptation of the cardiovascular system”, he indicates.
Physical exercise and heart go hand in hand… and legs
In the last decades of the 20th century and in the 21st century, especially, both the increase in life expectancy and unhealthy habits have turned the main cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and blood dyslipidemia (cholesterol)almost in an epidemic.
As a direct consequence, physical exercise, any body movement produced by the locomotor system by contraction and relaxation of the muscles, implies an increase in the demand for oxygen and nutrients by the muscles, and therefore energy consumption.
“Functional capacity and the amount of exercise are inversely correlated with the development of cardiovascular risk factors and, furthermore, with long-term mortality from cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases,” emphasizes Dr. Macaya.
Cardiovascular adaptations with physical exercise and training produce a beneficial increase in stroke volume (amount of blood ejected by the left ventricle), heart chambers, and wall thickness.
Also, decrease in heart rate, both at rest and in submaximal intensity exercise, and improvement in myocardial perfusion (blood flow in the heart).
“The regular practice of physical exercise, even isotonic, induces morphological and electrical cardiac remodeling that implies a physiological adaptation to cardiac overload,” says the cardiologist at the San Carlos Clinical Hospital.
“Of course, it will always be based on the physical and mental conditions of each person (age, previous pathologies, cardiovascular risk, medications, etc.). It can never pose an added risk ”, she points out.
An elderly man walks at a good pace through a Madrid park supported by two canes. EFE/Carlos González.
This adaptation of the structure of the heart to physical exercise is also stimulated through regenerative cells, stem cells.
“In the near future, research will define in great detail the influence of exercise on the molecular pathways associated with the heart, which may one day become therapeutic targets to improve the entire cardiovascular system,” he mentions.
In turn, physical exercise clearly benefits the efficiency of the blood vessels, ranging from the peripheral circulation to the delicate coronary circulation.
“These advantages in cardiovascular health not only occur in athletes, even more so in high performance, they are applicable to the elderly, even in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), whether due to a heart attack or heart failure“, reinforces Dr. Macaya.
The quality of life and life expectancy will improve for these and other heart patients, often improving the prognosis of the disease and reducing mortality.
A middle-aged woman and man walk through a park in Madrid. EFE/Carlos Gonzalez
New reconfirmation of the benefits of walking, running, swimming or cycling
A study prepared by the American Association of Cardiology and published in its journal ‘Circulation‘, explains that regular physical activity keeps the heart strong, a brisk walk of twenty minutes a day being “sufficient”.
At the same time, it warns that there are population groups that are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease because they practice less physical exercise: older adults, women, blacks, people with depression, the disabled, people of lower socioeconomic status and those who live in rural areas.
“The study shows that it is extremely important to increase economic resources to launch initiatives that promote physical activity in a sustained manner, especially for family groups with a depressed economy,” outlines Dr. Macaya.
The researchers came to this conclusion after analyzing the physical activity levels of different groups of adults and reviewing strategies for increasing physical activity in groups with few resources or at risk of poor cardiovascular health.
The study found that many groups demonstrating poor heart health also reported low levels of physical activity.
“We know that regular physical activity is a key component of optimal heart health. These results provide an opportunity to focus our efforts on physical activity programs in the places where people need them most”, they put black on white in the report.
The American Heart Association measured cardiovascular health and risks based on eight parameters: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, body mass index, smoking habit, physical activity, sleep and diet.
The report advises that physical activity programs be implemented with the participation of the community to meet their needs and design programs that are accessible and culturally appropriate.
“Increasing levels of physical activity to increase health equity requires a team approach, including health professionals who regularly assess and promote physical activity in all patients,” concludes the American study.
The advice of Dr. Carlos Macaya: “At least we must do 20 minutes of physical activity every day, although 30, 40 or 60 minutes, depending on our age and state of health, are much more recommendable figures… and better if we exercise outdoors, avoiding pollution atmospheric.
Walking at a good pace, running, swimming or cycling can be done at any time of the day, but we must avoid crowds, the intense hours of sunshine in summer and the coldest hours in winter.
In addition, the municipalities of many rural areas, regions or large European cities, such as Madridhave created heart-healthy routes for the entire population, even if they are occasional tourists:
In this way, the perverse effects of a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, a diet rich in saturated fats, alcoholic and sugary drinks or the exasperating digital routine are minimized, a habit that intrudes even on the pillows in the bedroom.
Physical exercise activates the body, facilitates contact with nature, recreation in parks, attenuation of environmental noise and increases partner, family and social relationships. That is to say, protect our heart“.
Dr. Carlos Macaya Miguel, worldwide reference cardiologist
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