Clinicians should prescribe exercise as a “foundational component of cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment,” according to a new American College of Cardiology scientific statement published Oct. 15 in JACC.
“The most important message is that some activity is better than none,” Jonathan Myers, PhD, a health research scientist with the Palo Alto VA Healthcare system and chair of the statement’s writing committee, said in the news release. “Patients do not need to become athletes to improve their cardiovascular health. Small increases in physical activity can produce meaningful benefits, particularly for those who are currently inactive.”
The statement said the greatest reduction in cardiovascular risk comes when sedentary patients become even “modestly more active,” the release said. About 5,000 to 7,000 steps a day are associated with substantial reductions in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality for many adults.
Its key recommendations for clinicians include:
- Give exercise prescriptions that are personalized based on the patient’s condition, functional capacity, treatment goals and symptoms.
- Prescribe resistance training as a complement to aerobic exercise for most adults.
- Consider wearable devices and virtual or home-based rehab programs to support exercise participation.
- Integrate exercise counseling into routine cardiovascular care.
Routine exercise testing is not required before starting exercise for most individuals, and cardiac rehabilitation remains first-line treatment for many, the release said.
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