{"id":154381,"date":"2025-06-03T08:51:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T08:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/154381\/"},"modified":"2025-06-03T08:51:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T08:51:10","slug":"exercise-may-lower-your-heart-attack-risk-by-61","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/154381\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercise May Lower Your Heart Attack Risk by 61%"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li>A new study focuses on former emergency room (ER) patients with symptoms like chest pain.<\/li>\n<li>After leaving the ER, sedentary behavior was linked with a higher risk of cardiac events.<\/li>\n<li>But replacing sedentary behavior with sleep or exercise reduced the risk.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_2-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Mounting research supports the notion that the more sedentary time you rack up, the higher your risk of disease, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/habit-to-break-to-reduce-dementia-risk-11682107\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">including dementia<\/a>. Too much sitting may even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/8074778\/habit-to-break-for-a-longer-life\/\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shorten your lifespan<\/a>. Sedentary behavior has also been linked to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/this-common-habit-can-increase-your-risk-of-heart-failure-11693146\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">higher risk of heart disease<\/a>, the number one cause of death in the U.S.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_4-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Each year, more than 11 million people visit emergency rooms across the country with chest pain, and around 65% of them are admitted to the hospital. That makes up a quarter of all hospital admissions from the ER. But even though heart disease is the top cause of death in America, it\u2019s also highly preventable. Diet, physical activity, stress and sleep all play important roles in heart health\u2014whether you\u2019ve been diagnosed with heart disease or not.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_6-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Researchers from Columbia University took a closer look at sedentary behavior following an ER or hospital admission for chest pain and other symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including shortness of breath, sweating and dizziness. They wanted to know if there was a connection between the amount of sedentary behavior and the risk of having a cardiac event, like a heart attack, or death from a cardiac event during the year following the hospital visit. They recently published their findings in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Let\u2019s break them down.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p>  How Was This Study Conducted?  <\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_11-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> For this study, researchers recruited patients who visited the ER at Columbia University Medical Center with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome between September 2016 and March 2020. They accepted a total of 609 participants who met their criteria. Participants\u2019 average age was 62, and just over half were male.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_13-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Participants each received a wrist accelerometer to wear, which records time and intensity of movement, sleep and sedentary behavior. Accelerometers were provided to patients while in the hospital. They were instructed to wear it on their non-dominant wrist continuously for 24 hours while in the hospital and for at least 30 days post-discharge.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_15-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Besides accelerometer data, researchers also gathered data on age, sex, race\/ethnicity, education and whether or not they had a partner, health insurance and an actual diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_17-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Ultimately, researchers were looking for participants who had a cardiac event or died of any cause during the 12 months following entry into the study. Researchers received this information from electronic medical records and by calling participants at the end of the study period. Cardiac events included a heart attack, urgent coronary revascularization (like cardiac bypass surgery) or hospitalization for unstable angina (chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart).\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p>  What Did This Study Show?  <\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_22-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Several findings surfaced following statistical analysis.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<ul id=\"mntl-sc-block_24-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\n<li>Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with low-intensity physical activity was associated with a 51% lower risk of cardiac events and dying from anything.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with moderate-vigorous physical activity was associated with a 61% lower risk of cardiac events and dying from anything.<\/li>\n<li>Replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with 30 minutes of sleep was associated with a 14% lower risk of cardiac events and dying from anything.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_26-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Ultimately, these results suggest that swapping sitting with just about anything else, including sleep, may reduce the risk of cardiac events and death.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_28-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> An important note that researchers highlight is that there is evidence suggesting that patients who are hospitalized with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome, but who ultimately have acute coronary syndrome ruled out, are still at increased risk of adverse outcomes, including cardiovascular events. In other words, if you are hospitalized for signs of a heart attack but they rule it out, you are likely still at high risk for having one. So if you have symptoms but are not formally diagnosed, you should still take those symptoms seriously.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_30-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> There are a few limitations to this study. First, participants wore accelerometers during the first 30 days following discharge. Some patients might have been less active during this time, as people are often cautious about movement following cardiac events. Also, while certain demographics were adjusted for, it\u2019s impossible to catch all factors that can skew results. Lastly, the results lose some statistical power due to the small number of events (cardiac or death) that took place during the 12 months. Therefore, the researchers state that these results should be interpreted with caution and considered preliminary evidence.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p>  How Does This Apply to Real Life?  <\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_35-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> These results show that it doesn\u2019t take a huge shift to potentially see big changes\u2014in this case, a reduction in cardiac events and death. While moderate-vigorous physical activity showed the greatest risk reduction, low-intensity physical activity had some pretty amazing results, too.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_37-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> While it might come as no surprise that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/exercise-may-reduce-heart-disease-by-lowering-stress-response-8635621\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">physical activity reduces heart disease risk<\/a>, you might be wondering why sleep would.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_39-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> \u201cUnlike sitting, sleep promotes healthful, restorative processes that help regulate blood pressure, reduce inflammation and support heart function,\u201d explains <a href=\"https:\/\/www.columbiacardiology.org\/profile\/keith-diaz-phd\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Keith Diaz, Ph.D.<\/a>, one of the study\u2019s lead authors and associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University. \u201cSitting for hours at a time does the opposite. It increases blood pressure, can trigger chronic inflammation and contributes to poor heart health. For example, blood pressure typically drops by more than 10% during sleep. This gives your heart, blood vessels and other organs a reprieve from higher pressures that can be damaging to them.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_41-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Current physical activity guidelines recommend getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity a week. Strength training is also recommended at least twice a week. Plus you want to try to fit in some stretching throughout your week.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_45-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> The good news is that any amount of physical activity is better than none\u2014and it doesn\u2019t have to be done every day. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/exercise-every-day-study-11707905\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">We previously reported<\/a> on a study that found that \u201cweekend warriors\u201d get just about as many health benefits as those who exercise over several days.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_47-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> But physical activity and sleep are just a part of the heart disease puzzle. The American Heart Association promotes its Life\u2019s Essential 8 wheel for heart disease prevention and overall good health. The wheel consists of four health behaviors and four health factors. The health behaviors include eating healthy, moving your body, quitting tobacco and getting healthy sleep. The health factors include things you can measure that are influenced by the health behaviors: weight, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_49-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> If you need help with what to eat, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/291120\/mediterranean-diet-for-beginners-everything-you-need-to-get-started\/\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mediterranean diet<\/a> is a great place to start. Loaded with heart-healthy foods like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, seafood and healthy oils like olive oil, the Mediterranean diet ranks as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/best-and-worst-diets-2025-8767671#toc-the-best-diets-by-category\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one of the top eating patterns for heart health<\/a>, along with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/7938379\/the-1-diet-to-lower-high-blood-pressure-according-to-science\/\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DASH diet<\/a>, a spin-off of the Mediterranean diet that limits sodium. If you want more guidance, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/30-day-dash-diet-meal-plan-for-beginners-11738768\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">30-Day DASH Diet Meal Plan for Beginners<\/a> or our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/7-day-heart-healthy-mediterranean-diet-meal-plan-8641222\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">7-Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for Heart Health<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<p>  The Bottom Line  <\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_54-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> This study suggests that by replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with exercise of any kind or with sleep, you may reduce your risk of having a cardiac event or dying following a visit to the hospital for chest pain. If you\u2019re currently inactive, start looking for ways to be intentional with your activity. Take the stairs, park at the far end of the parking lot and take movement breaks throughout the day. If you\u2019ve got sleep issues, assess your bedtime routine and sleep environment and make appropriate changes. If you snore or are getting the proper amount of sleep but are still exhausted, consult with your healthcare practitioner, who can assess your situation and refer you to the appropriate specialists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A new study focuses on former emergency room (ER) patients with symptoms like chest pain. After leaving the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":154382,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4322],"tags":[1630,105,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-154381","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154381"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154381\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}