Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, hypertension, and cardiac arrhythmias are frequently associated with reduced exercise tolerance, fatigue, muscle weakness, and poor quality of life. For many years, physical exercise was discouraged in cardiac patients because it was considered unsafe. However, scientific evidence has clearly demonstrated that appropriately prescribed exercise is both safe and highly beneficial in most stable cardiac patients.
Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation has become a cornerstone in the management of cardiovascular disease. Regular aerobic and resistance training can improve functional capacity and overall quality of life. In addition, exercise has been associated with reduced hospitalizations, better symptom control, and improved psychological well-being. . Importantly, exercise programs should be individualized according to the patient’s clinical condition, functional capacity, comorbidities, and risk profile.
Beyond heart failure, exercise is also beneficial in patients with ischemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, implanted cardiac devices, and after cardiac surgery or myocardial infarction. Therefore, physical exercise should not be viewed merely as an adjunct therapy, but as an essential component of modern cardiovascular care.
Speaker: Cristina Flor Rufino (Assistant Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Spain. Member of the CLIDET Research Group (University of Valencia) and the Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Group at INCLIVA, Valencia)