Exercises such as jogging are widely acknowledged to benefit healthy people but people with undiagnosed or untreated coronary artery disease, or CAD, may increase their risk of heart attacks if they exercise unwisely. Most people diagnosed with CAD, however, appear to benefit from exercise if they have guidance from a knowledgeable health professional.
The Benefits
Multiple studies suggest that supervised exercise can reduce deaths in patients with CAD, according to cardiologist Paul D. Thompson, MD. For the majority of people with cardiovascular disease, Thompson writes in the Oct. 11, 2005 issue of "Circulation," "Exercise training is an established, inexpensive, generally safe intervention capable of increasing exercise capacity and reducing symptoms." Thompson is referring to exercise training done in consultation with a rehabilitation therapist or under a physician's direction. He is not advocating a self-prescribed jogging program for people susceptible to heart attacks. The American College of Sport Medicine issued a statement in the May 1, 2007 issue of "Circulation" that said that "Maintaining physical fitness through regular physical activity may help to reduce [heart-related] events because a disproportionate number of events occur in least physically active subjects performing unaccustomed physical activity."
The Risks
In the majority of cases, exercise-associated deaths in adults -- but not in young people -- can be traced to the presence of coronary artery disease and occur most frequently in out-of-shape individuals. Since vigorous exercise can increase the risk of heart attacks in susceptible people with CAD, it is essential that patients be cleared by a doctor before beginning such a program.
Precautions
"Exercise training is underused as a therapeutic modality but can easily be prescribed for most patients by referral to a cardiac rehabilitation program." Thompson wrote in his Oct. 11, 2005 article in "Circulation." He added that doctors also may recommend that their patients begin a walking program, but one that only stresses them to the point where they just begin to breathe hard.
Safe Exercise
The American College of Sport listed several strategies for safely introducing exercise into the lifestyle of patients with CAD. These include screening or evaluating patients before prescribing an exercise program and not allowing patients with elevated risk of heart attack to participate in some vigorous exercise programs, which could include jogging. The College also advocates no delay in evaluating patients who have symptoms of heart disease, such as pain that develops during exercise.
Conclusion
If you have been diagnosed with CAD, or you suspect you might have heart problems, do not begin a jogging or other exercise program until you have been properly evaluated by a physician. Once cleared, you may benefit from a well-supervised exercise program.
References
- Circulation: Exercise and Acute Cardiovascular Events
- Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen: Exercise Training in Cardiovascular Disease
- Minerva Cardioangiologica: Exercise training in prevention and rehabilitation: which training mode is best?
- MMW Fortschr Medizin: The role of jogging in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease
- Circulation: Exercise Prescription and Proscription for Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
- Journal of the American Medical Association: Death During Jogging or Running, A Study of 18 Cases
