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Relationship between arterial stiffness and regular physical activity
Ágnes Diószegi1, Beáta Kovács2, Szabolcs Lengyel2
11 Debreceni Egyetem, Általános Orvostudományi Kar, Anyagcsere Betegségek Tanszék, Belgyógyászati Intézet, Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032.
Orvosi Hetilap
|April 8, 2021
Summary
Regular physical activity benefits cardiovascular health by reducing risk factors and mortality. Arterial stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity, is a key biomarker for cardiovascular risk, even in athletes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sports Medicine
- Preventive Cardiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease development and progression are significantly influenced by lifestyle, particularly physical activity.
- Regular exercise mitigates cardiovascular risks (hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity) and independently impacts mortality.
- Arterial stiffness, a degenerative process in elastic arteries, is a predictor of cardiovascular events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the associations between regular physical activity, arterial stiffness, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular events.
- To summarize studies on the effects of exercise on arterial stiffness parameters in healthy populations.
- To evaluate arterial stiffness as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk stratification in physically active individuals.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies examining physical activity, arterial stiffness, and cardiovascular outcomes.
- Focus on research assessing pulse wave velocity (PWV) as a measure of arterial stiffness.
- Analysis of findings from population-based longitudinal studies and trials on healthy subjects.
Main Results:
- Regular physical activity is linked to reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
- Arterial stiffness, assessed via PWV, is a validated predictor of cardiovascular events and longevity.
- Arterial stiffness shows promise as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk in individuals engaged in regular physical activity.
Conclusions:
- Arterial stiffness is an emerging and valuable biomarker for cardiovascular risk assessment in athletes.
- Pulse wave velocity measurement offers prognostic information relevant to both amateur and professional athletes.
- Incorporating PWV measurement into clinical decision-making may enhance cardiovascular risk management for athletes.
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