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Physical Activity Helps Prevent a Heart Attack and Stroke

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Overview

Physical activity is one of the best things you can do to help prevent a heart attack or stroke.

Being active is one part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy foods, not smoking, and staying at a healthy weight are other ways you can be heart-healthy and help prevent a heart attack or a stroke.

If you are not active, you have a higher risk of heart disease (also called coronary artery disease).

It's never too early or too late to make physical activity part of your life. If you are healthy, it can help you keep your heart as healthy as possible. If you have had a heart attack or stroke, being active is very important to help prevent another one.

Benefits for your heart

Being active helps keep your heart and blood vessels healthy in many ways. It can:

Regular activity might also help your heart if you do have a heart attack. It may increase the number of smaller blood vessels that connect different coronary arteries. These are called collateral blood vessels. If one of the major coronary arteries is suddenly blocked, these collateral blood vessels serve as an alternate route to supply blood to the portion of the heart muscle that is threatened by a heart attack.

Other benefits

Being active does more than just keep your heart healthy. It keeps your body and mind healthy too.

The added benefits of regular exercise include:

Before you start

Talk to your doctor before you start being active. This is very important if you have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, you haven't been active for a long time, or you have other heart, lung, or metabolic diseases, such as diabetes.

Your doctor can help you choose activities that will help your heart and are safe for you.

Many options for activities

Being more active doesn't have to be hard. Any activity that raises your heart rate can help your heart. Do something you enjoy, such as walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing.

To get and stay healthy, do activity at a level that is right for you—moderate or vigorous.1 Try to do:

Asking for help

Tell your doctor if you are having trouble making activity part of your daily life. Your doctor might refer you to a counselor who specializes in helping people make lifestyle changes.


References

Citations

  1. Arnett DK, et al. (2019). 2019 ACC/AHA guideline on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Circulation, published online March 17, 2019: CIR0000000000000678. DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000678. Accessed March 26, 2019. [Erratum in Circulation, 140(11): e649–e650. DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000725. Accessed September 10, 2019.]

Créditos para Physical Activity Helps Prevent a Heart Attack and Stroke

Current as of: June 5, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
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