Heart Failure and Exercise: A New Study

The conventional wisdom is changing for patients with heart failure.  They were once told to take it easy to avoid stressing weakened hearts. New studies suggest the opposite.  

The study of 2,331 patients was presented at the Amercian Heart Association's annual convention in New Orleasn research found exercising for 30 minutes three times a week did not raise the risk of heart attack, erratic rhythms, chest pain or fractures. Those who worked out were less likely to be hospitalized for heart failure or die from cardiac causes, though the overall death and hospitalization rates for other reasons didn't decline. Previous research and medical practice questioned whether high-risk patients could exercise without supervision or worsening their condition.

``The key finding is whether or not exercise is safe. It's absolutely safe,''  Gordon Tomaselli, the chief of cardiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, told an interviewer. ``Doctors should set up a program that's structured. Don't tell me that exercise is good; tell me what I should be doing. That varies for each patient.''

The smart play is that if you have been advised not to exercise by your doctor because of a history of heart failure, you should take the study to him and see if his recommendation changes.  But, by all means, talk to your doctor because this is a general study that many or many not apply to you and your conditon.