Device-Measured Physical Activity Tied to Heart Failure Risk

MONDAY, Aug. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Device-measured physical activity (PA), especially moderate-intensity PA, is associated with a reduced risk for heart failure, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in Circulation.

Frederick K. Ho, Ph.D., from the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study of 94,739 U.K. Biobank participants with device-measured PA in 2013 to 2015 who were free from myocardial infarction and heart failure. PA was measured using a wrist-worn accelerometer; time spent on light-, moderate-, and vigorous-intensity PA was obtained. The association with incident heart failure, ascertained from linked hospital and death records, was examined.

The researchers found that during a median 6.1 years of follow-up, the overall incidence of heart failure was 98.5 per 10,000 person-years. Participants who performed 150 to 300 min/week of moderate-intensity PA and 75 to 150 min/week of vigorous-intensity PA had lower heart failure risk compared with those who undertook no moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA. A reverse J-shaped association was seen between vigorous-intensity PA and heart failure, with a potentially lower risk reduction above 150 min/week.

“Health care professionals may suggest more physical activity based on a patient’s current lifestyle and health status,” Ho said in a statement. “Generally, moderate physical activity is easier to incorporate into daily routines, and it’s generally safer. Vigorous physical activity is sometimes the most time-efficient and may be more suitable for busy people.”

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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