Promptly returning to regular exercise after a heart attack, and sticking with it, increases the chance of survival in older men, say researchers from Harvard University.
In an analysis of self-reported physical activity among 1,500 middle-aged and older men, participants who maintained high levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity both before and after their heart attacks were 39% less likely to die from any cause. That’s the equivalent of at least 2.5 hours a week of brisk walking, the researchers reported.
Meanwhile, men who became physically active after a heart attack also lived longer – if they stuck with it, said lead author Laila Al-Shaar, Ph.D. When greater activity wasn’t maintained for more than a few years, survival rates did not get a boost.
A previous study of postmenopausal women had similar results.
“Maintaining regular physical activity throughout adult life is important because it is associated with better survival, even after a heart attack,” said Al-Shaar. The findings show that it is “never too late to pick up on physical activity,” she concluded.
The findings support recent U.S. guidelines for the management of patients who have experienced a heart attack, the researchers said. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association recommend that heart attack patients seek clinical counsel about safe ways to remain active.
The research will be presented this weekend at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2019 in Philadelphia.
