Exercise helps depressed heart patients

Depressed or lonely people who experience a heart attack are less likely to suffer subsequent heart attacks if they exercise regularly. Among a group of people who had experienced a recent heart attack and reported themselves to be either depressed or socially isolated, less than 6 percent who exercised regularly died of a subsequent heart attack within an average of two years, compared with 12 percent of non-exercisers. Researchers from The Duke University conducted a study, where they followed 2,078 men and women who had experienced a recent heart attack for an average of two years. All participants were either depressed or had low levels of social support. Six months after the initial heart attack, the researchers asked participants if they had been engaging in regular exercise. Nearly 50 percent said they had exercised regularly during the six months since their heart attacks. Non-fatal heart attacks, like fatal events, occurred in only 6 percent of regular exercisers but in 10 percent of non-exercisers. Previous research shows that exercise reduces the chances of having a heart attack. Heart attack patients have a higher risk of having another episode if they are also depressed or socially isolated. Overall, regular exercisers were more than 50 percent less likely to die than people who said they did not engage in regular exercise. Moreover, regular exercisers experienced a larger decrease in symptoms of depression during the study than non-exercisers. Though the reason why exercise helps the hearts of depressed patients remains unclear. Researcher said that exercise might stave off subsequent heart attacks by improving blood pressure, circulation and clotting, for instance. Although exercise clearly appears to help, just how much exercise people at risk of heart attack should get is up for debate.