[Physical activity and cardiovascular health a close link]

A sedentary lifestyle has definitively demonstrated to be one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular events as outlined by the American Heart Association. There is mounting evidence in the scientific literature that physical activity and physical fitness have a powerful influence on preventing coronary heart disease. Moreover, protective effects of physical activity have been demonstrated for non-insulin-dependent diabetes, hypertension, obesity. A continued, moderate exercise improves muscular function and strength, the body's ability to take and use oxygen (maximal oxygen consumption or aerobic capacity) and improves the capacity of blood vessel to dilate in response to exercise or hormones. Also muscular strength and flexibility improve after exercise program as well as the ability to perform daily activities, preventing disability particularly in aged people. Cardiac Rehabilitation programs including formal exercise improve quality of life reducing stress and anxiety after an acute coronary event and reduce long-term mortality by 20-25%. Recently published recommendation of Expert panels defined exercise as a key component to health promotion and disease prevention and delineated the intensity of exercise desired.