Exercise can Decrease Artery Stiffness Linked to Heart Failure

Exercise can improve the health of blood vessels in the heart for people with heart failure, reveals a new study. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Generally, exercise is considered good for you. However, physicians and medical doctors previously prescribed bed rest to people with heart failure; fearing exercise could potentially lead to additional health problems.

The finding is based on a study looking at swine, which have very similar blood vessels and heart muscles - both structurally and functionally - as humans.

Craig Emter, associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, studied three different groups of swine with heart failure: one group was inactive; a second group exercised using intervals with a higher level of intensity for short periods of time intermixed with periods of lower intensity; and the third group exercised with a constant lower level of intensity.

"People with heart failure cannot do everything that a healthy individual can, so the question becomes how much exercise can they handle and what type of impact will it have on their health," Emter said. "We found that regardless of intensity level, some type of physical activity was good for heart health compared to no exercise at all."

Enter explained stiff blood vessels could block or impair blood flow to the heart and can lead to a variety of cardiovascular issues. The research findings can be useful for human medicine as well.

"We now have a better understanding of how blood flows in the heart, the stiffness of blood vessels, and the impact that exercise has on heart health," Enter said. "Understanding the underlying science of the heart allows us to help improve the health of people with heart failure."

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Source-Eurekalert