An Update on the Role of Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Structured Exercise and Lifestyle Physical Activity in Preventing Cardiovascular Disease and Health Risk

Abstract

The cardiovascular disease (CVD) pandemic has placed considerable strain on healthcare systems, quality of life, and physical function, while remaining the leading cause of death globally. Decades of scientific investigations have fortified the protective effects of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), exercise training, and physical activity (PA) against the development of CVD. This review will summarize recent efforts that have made significant strides in; 1) the application of novel analytic techniques to increase the predictive utility of CRF; 2) understanding the protective effects of long-term compliance to PA recommendations through large cohort studies with multiple points of assessment; 3) and understanding the potential harms associated with extreme volumes of PA.

Physical exercise as therapy to fight against the mental and physical consequences of COVID-19 quarantine: Special focus in older people

“…even simply to guarantee an active aging by reducing the risk of frailty, sarcopenia and dementia, as associated diseases in older people. 3,4 Moreover, the psychological impact of quarantine has been recently reviewed 5 and negative psychological effects, including post-traumatic stress symptoms, confusion, and anger has been reported. The stressor factors suggested included longer quarantine duration, infection fears, frustration, boredom, inadequate supplies, inadequate information, financial loss, and stigma.…”

“…On the other hand, PA and exercise have shown to be an effective therapy for most of the chronic diseases with direct effects on both mental and physical health. [1][2][3][4][6][7][8][9] In fact, exercise has been considered the real polypill based on epidemiological evidence of its preventive/ therapeutic benefits and considering the main biological mediators involved. 1,7,9 Special attention is deserved for the elderly population group, because in older people PA and exercise impact the mentioned benefits on many diseases but also has additional effects on hallmarks of aging and associated diseases.…”

“…Briefly, the reason to promote PA and exercise for improving physical fitness components is that these (cardiorespiratory fitness or CRF, muscular strength, coordinationagility) are directly related with the physiological functions of the main organ systems (respiratory, circulatory, muscular, nervous and skeletal systems) and indirectly implicated in the appropriate functioning of other systems (endocrine, digestive, immune or renal systems). [1][2][3][4]7,9 These relationships are even more interesting from the point of view of physiologic functional reserve of organ systems, for example, to increase the CRF is not only directly related with improvements in the circulatory and respiratory systems capacities but also with increases in its functional reserve. For all this, PA/exercise become especially essential for older people during quarantine because to maintain physiological function and reserve of most of the organ systems Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases xxx (xxxx) xxx could contribute to the fight against the mental and physical consequences and severity of Covid-19 (Fig 1).…”

Cost-Sharing Deters Cardiac Rehabilitation Adherence

“…1 The initial uncertainty of sending cardiac patients to CR programs for the purpose of improving cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), cardiovascular (CV) function, quality of life, dietary, and other lifestyle behaviors quickly faded as evidence accumulated in its favor. [2][3][4][5] Accordingly, major professional societies around the world bestowed a class I indication for its use in the treatment of CV disease (CVD). 6 Despite the resounding health benefits associated with CR participation, low referral and participation rates have been an area that the field has struggled to resolve.…”

Benefits of exercise training on blood pressure and beyond in cardiovascular diseases

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Considerable evidence has emphasized that despite the substantial recommendations for major societies, sedentary behavior and physical inactivity remain high and physical activity (PA) and exercise training (ET) remains low in the US and much of the world. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Therefore, greater efforts are needed to improve PA/ET in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, including hypertension (HTN), and CVD. Although the European Society of Cardiology did not adopt the lower blood pressure (BP) guidelines that are now present in the US guidelines, still in Europe, the US and most of the world HTN is extremely prevalent and it contributes to markedly increased the risk of CVD and CVD-related morbidity and mortality.

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