Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

[Sports as therapy].

Rainer Hambrecht1

  • 1Klinik für Innere Medizin/Kardiologie, Universität Leipzig-Herzzentrum, Leipzig. hamr@medizin.uni-leipzig.de

Herz
|July 9, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Physical exercise is now an evidence-based treatment for cardiovascular diseases, improving survival and reducing cardiac events in coronary artery disease and heart failure patients. This therapy offers significant benefits compared to traditional interventions.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

[Heart health must not be a question of socioeconomic status].

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)·2026
Same author

Impact of residential noise pollution on early-onset myocardial infarction risk results from the DECIBEL-MI (Determination of Environmental CIty-noise's Burden, Exposure, and Link to Myocardial Infarction) study.

Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society·2026
Same author

Socioeconomic Status and Long-Term Outcomes After ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

The American journal of cardiology·2026
Same author

Right atrial pressure corrected cardiac power index improves predictive power for 1-year mortality after transcatheter edge-to-edge-repair for severe tricuspid valve regurgitation.

The international journal of cardiovascular imaging·2025
Same author

Digitoxin in Patients with Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction.

The New England journal of medicine·2025
Same author

Severe obesity in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarctions: association with age, temporal trends, and clinical outcomes.

European journal of preventive cardiology·2025

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Sports Science
  • Rehabilitation Medicine

Context:

  • Physical exercise has evolved from rehabilitation to a primary therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular diseases over the past two decades.
  • This shift is supported by systematic research, including prospective randomized clinical trials, establishing exercise as an evidence-based treatment.
  • Traditionally, physical activity was discouraged in chronic heart failure (CHF), leading to negative patient outcomes.

Purpose:

  • To review the established role of physical exercise in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
  • To highlight the mechanisms and clinical benefits of exercise therapy in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and chronic heart failure (CHF).
  • To advocate for the consideration of exercise interventions as complementary or alternative strategies to conventional treatments.

Summary:

  • In stable CAD, exercise therapy significantly reduces total mortality by 27% and improves event-free survival compared to percutaneous coronary intervention, mediated by improved endothelial function, reduced lesion progression, lower thrombogenic risk, and enhanced collateralization.
  • Exercise programs for stable CHF patients, targeting 50-70% of maximal oxygen uptake, improve exercise capacity by 12-32% and reduce mortality by 35% and hospitalizations by 28%.
  • These findings underscore the efficacy of exercise as a therapeutic option for cardiovascular conditions.

Impact:

  • Physical exercise is now a guideline-oriented treatment option for cardiovascular diseases.
  • Exercise therapy demonstrates significant improvements in mortality and morbidity for patients with CAD and CHF.
  • The integration of exercise interventions offers a valuable addition or alternative to pharmacological and interventional approaches in cardiovascular care.

Related Experiment Videos