Exercise Especially Important for Older People With Heart Disease

A study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology demonstrated that exercise can benefit physical ability and mental health for older people with heart disease, reports Medical News Today . Regular exercise can slow the heart, lower blood pressure, ease stress, improve morale and oxygen efficiency, and shed excess body weight. Exercise also can promote faster recovery and even lessen the need for medication. "Aging is associated with several factors, such as increased inflammation or oxidative stress, which predispose people to cardiovascular diseases," the study authors noted. "As a result, seniors are usually less fit than their younger counterparts, and deconditioning is accelerated once cardiovascular disease is established." In addition, exercise is especially beneficial for people older than 65 who are suffering from depression. "These improvements will surely have a great positive impact on persons' independence and quality of life and might help both clinicians and beneficiaries to realize how beneficial exercise rehabilitation can be," concluded Gaëlle Deley at the University of Burgundy Franche-Comté.