Physical activity and mortality in patients with stable coronary heart disease

To review recent literature on associations between habitual physical activity and mortality in general populations and patients with stable coronary heart disease.

There are substantial decreases in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality between people who take little or no exercise and those who take regular light or moderate physical activity. The benefits associated with increasing high-intensity exercise are smaller, and an increase in mortality risk is possible. Meta-analyses of trials of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation suggest a small mortality benefit from supervised exercise training, but because of a high risk of bias, the impact on cardiovascular mortality and hospitalizations is uncertain.

Modest habitual physical activity is likely to lower mortality in most patients with stable coronary heart disease.