Heart failure, though it sounds as if your heart is about to quit altogether, is simply a condition in which the heart can no longer pump effectively to supply all the body's needs for oxygenated blood. Heart failure can precede heart attack or stroke and contribute to liver and kidney dysfunction. However, heart failure patients who participate in a regular exercise program, including cardio exercise, and follow their doctors' instructions on diet, medication and other treatments, can improve their their quality of life and extend their lives.
Benefits
The benefits of regular exercise, including cardio activity guided by your doctor or a cardiac rehab specialist, is important for many reasons. The Cleveland Clinic experts note that heart failure patients who engage in regular exercise improve circulation and help the body use oxygen more effectively, giving you more energy and helping you sleep better. A good cardio workout, along with some resistance training, will also improve muscle health and help you do more without getting short of breath, a classic symptom of heart failure.
Considerations
Because heart failure directly impacts your ability to exercise and can lead to such potentially serious outcomes as a heart attack and stroke, you should approach physical activity with care and the advice of your doctor. The Cleveland Clinic recommends you ask some of the following questions before embarking on an exercise regimen: How much exercise can you do each day and how many days a week should you exercise? What types of exercises should you do and what should you avoid? Will exercise affect when you take your medicine? What other considerations should I know before I start an exercise or cardiac rehab program?
Research Shows
A supervised program of aerobic exercise, including walking or the use of a treadmill or stationary bike, helped reduce the risk of death and hospitalization, and improved the quality of life for patients in a study published in the April 8, 2009, issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Association." The study involved two groups of more than 2,000 heart failure patients, with an average age of 59. Those who participated in cardio workouts three times a week reported higher quality-of-life scores and were less likely than the group that did not get cardio training to be hospitalized or die within the 30-month follow-up period.
Theories/Speculation
Part of the reason why cardio workouts benefit heart failure patients is due to hormonal changes that contribute to the many complications that accompany heart failure, according to a study published in the May 2, 2006 issue of the "Journal of the American College of Cardiology." Researchers found that after a heart attack or other cardiac event, the body produces a hormone that helps the heart keep pumping blood by constricting blood vessels and retaining sodium. However, those responses over time can be detrimental to your health. Regular workouts can help put your body's hormonal production in a healthier balance.
Warning
If you do start a regular exercise program, be sure to do the other things necessary to help that activity give you the best chance at improved health. Some of those key steps include smoking cessation, sodium restriction and daily weigh-ins. The Mayo Clinic recommends that you tell your doctor immediately if you gain three or more pounds in a day, because that will indicate you are retaining fluids, a sign that your heart failure may be getting worse.
