"Exercise Is Necessary Even with Cardiovascular Disease"...Consistent Physical Activity Reduces Recurrence Risk by 13%

At Least 30 Minutes of Moderate Exercise Once a Week
Significantly Lowers the Risk of Cardiovascular Events

A study analyzing the amount of physical activity and the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome has found that maintaining regular exercise reduces the risk of recurrence.

Jungyo Kwon, Professor of Vascular Surgery, Asan Medical Center, Seoul. Asan Medical Center, Seoul

The research team led by Jungyo Kwon, Professor of Vascular Surgery at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, announced on May 12 that they tracked approximately 30,000 domestic patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome for about seven years and found that those who consistently engaged in moderate or higher intensity exercise had up to a 13% lower risk of cardiovascular events.

This study is significant in that it demonstrated through large-scale research that engaging in appropriate levels of exercise after being diagnosed with conditions such as myocardial infarction or angina is not dangerous and is, in fact, effective in preventing cardiovascular diseases in the long term. This is particularly important because patients who have experienced cardiovascular disease often avoid exercise out of concern that it may strain their hearts.

Professor Kwon’s team utilized data from the National Health Insurance Service to conduct a follow-up study over an average of 6.7 years on patients aged 20 and over who were diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome and underwent either coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass surgery between 2010 and 2017. All participants underwent national health screenings both before and after diagnosis and reported their exercise habits through surveys at the time of the screenings, which were used to measure changes in physical activity.

The study found that the group who consistently performed moderate or higher intensity exercise both before and after their diagnosis had a 13% lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to those who did not exercise at all. Moderate or higher intensity exercise was defined as activities such as brisk walking, cycling, or light jogging for at least 30 minutes once a week.

Additionally, the group who began exercising after their diagnosis also had a 9% lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to those who did not exercise at all. This suggests that even patients who were previously inactive can benefit in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease simply by starting to exercise after their diagnosis.

On the other hand, the group who stopped exercising after their diagnosis had a risk of cardiovascular events nearly identical to those who never exercised. This indicates that failing to maintain regular exercise can increase risk to the same level as not exercising at all.

Professor Kwon said, "Through this study, we confirmed that maintaining appropriate exercise even after being diagnosed with myocardial infarction or angina is effective in preventing the recurrence of cardiovascular diseases. It is important to avoid excessive and strenuous exercise and to develop a personalized exercise plan based on age and disease severity in consultation with a specialist."

The results of this study were recently published in the international journal 'British Journal of Sports Medicine.'