The fitness level of a person could predict the chances of future heart attack in people with no apparent signs of heart disease. It is advisable to get 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day for good health. This includes not only a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, but also a lower likelihood of premature death from a range of causes. Previous research showed that amongst more than 26,000 adults with no symptoms of heart disease, those who showed the greatest endurance on exercise tests had the lowest risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years. Men with the highest fitness levels were 31 per cent less likely than their least-fit counterparts to have a non-fatal heart attack or stroke, or to require an invasive procedure for heart artery blockages. The risk for men with moderate fitness levels fell between the highest and lowest fitness groups. A similar pattern emerged among women. To further substantiate the need for regular exercise, researchers from the University of South Carolina in Columbia studied 20,728 men and 5,909 women who had no symptoms of heart disease when they entered the study, during a time period of thirty years. At that time, they underwent a treadmill test to gauge their fitness levels, had physical exams and completed questionnaires on their lifestyle habits. They were then followed for an average of 10 years, during which time 1,512 men and 159 women had a non-fatal heart attack or stroke, or underwent an artery-clearing procedure. The findings suggest that even when several other factors were accounted for, such as age, smoking and weight, higher fitness levels seemed to protect against heart problems. The results also underline the importance of more routine exercise testing of people with no symptoms of heart disease. These results, clubbed with traditional risk factor assessment, such as measuring blood pressure and cholesterol, help predict a person's odds of heart trouble down the road.
American Journal of Epidemiology,
June 2007