Exercise can be as important as medication for people with heart problems, says a recent study cited by the BBC.
The British Medical Journal analysed 305 trials involving nearly 340,000 patients to assess the impact of exercise and drugs in preventing death in patients suffering from heart disease.
The researchers concluded that, in many cases, exercise should be recommended alongside prescription drugs. According to them, these two together form the best prevention for heart trouble.
“Medicines are an extremely important part of the treatment of many heart conditions, and people on prescribed drugs should keep taking their vital meds. If you have a heart condition or have been told you’re at high risk of heart disease, talk to your doctor about the role that exercise can play in your treatment,” said Amy Thompson, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation.
In 2009, a Portuguese study concluded that cardiac rehabilitation, a treatment that includes physical exercises for those who have suffered from heart problems in the past, was still unpopular in the country, although physical exercise was proven to reduce the risk of death by cardiac arrest. Another study in the same year showed that children and teenagers were less physically active than that recommended for their age.
According to this last study, children and youths are recommended to do 60 minutes of physical activity per day, of which 20 to 30 should be intense activity.
On the other hand, adults are recommended to do 30 minutes of daily moderate physical activity, or 20 to 35 minutes of intense activity three days per week.
