Get out there and exercise.
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Low levels of physical activity are responsible for 17% of
cardiovascular deaths in Argentina, reveals research presented at the
Argentine Society of Cardiology Congress (SAC 2015) by Dr Rosana Poggio,
a cardiologist at the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health
Policy (IECS) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
SAC 2015 is being held in Buenos Aires from 15 to 17 October 2015.
Experts from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) will present a
special programme.1
“Argentina has high rates of physical inactivity,” said Dr Roberto
Peidro, a leading member of the Argentine Society of Cardiology and
vice-president of the Argentine Foundation of Cardiology. “Lack of free
time is the most important excuse given by sedentary people. On the
other hand, doctors give insufficient advice about exercise.”
The current study investigated the impact of various levels of
physical activity on death from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke
and on total cardiovascular mortality in people aged 30 years and
older. Data on physical activity was obtained from the Argentinian
national survey of risk factors in 2013. Numbers of disease-specific
deaths in 2010 came from the Ministry of Health in Argentina. Physical
activity was categorised by metabolic equivalent tasks per minute per
week (MET/minute/week), with 600 MET/min/week being equivalent to 30
minutes of brisk walking five days a week (ie 2.5 hours per week).
ESC guidelines recommend that healthy adults of all ages should spend
2.5 to 5 hours a week on physical activity or aerobic exercise training
of at least moderate intensity, or 1 to 2.5 hours a week on vigorous
intense exercise.2
During 2010 there were 43 796 deaths from cardiovascular disease in
the population aged 30 years and above, including 25 142 deaths from IHD
and 18 654 deaths from stroke.
The researchers found that engaging in less than 600 MET/min/week (ie
the minimum recommended level of physical activity) was responsible for
17% (7 278) of total cardiovascular deaths in Argentina in 2010, of
which 3 941 occurred in men and 3 337 in women. Doing less than 600
MET/min/week was responsible for 20% (4 907) of deaths from IHD and 13%
(2 371) of stroke deaths.
Dr Poggio said: “We found that low levels of physical activity had a
big impact on cardiovascular deaths in Argentina, which suggests that
interventions promoting exercise should be a priority. The effects were
greater in women of all ages because they exercise less than men.”
She continued: “Our analysis suggests that engaging in at least 30
minutes of brisk walking 5 days a week would reduce cardiovascular
mortality at any age, especially in women and those younger than 70
years of age. Our findings have public health implications and emphasise
the importance of women in particular being more physically active.”
Dr Peidro said: “This research demonstrates that the impact of
physical inactivity on deaths from cardiovascular disease is very
significant. The causes of lower physical activity in women, according
to surveys, include their multiple occupations (work and home), less
time spent doing sports by girls compared to boys, and the time spent
caring for the health of other family members.”
“State policies are needed that encourage people in Argentina to be
more physically active,” added Dr Peidro. “Scientific societies, health
professionals and the state must work together to overcome the problem
of sedentary lifestyles and, in this way, improve the duration and
quality of life.”
Professor Michel Komajda, a past president of the ESC and course
director of the ESC programme in Argentina, said: “It is well known that
regular physical activity is beneficial for cardiovascular outcomes.
The current study further assesses the relationship between the level of
physical activity and cardiovascular deaths in Argentina. The
conclusions clearly show that a low level of physical activity is common
in Argentina and that regular physical activity prevents cardiovascular
deaths, more so for coronary disease related deaths than for stroke.
These findings should prompt actions to improve the awareness of the
public regarding the long term benefits of regular physical activity.”
Full bibliographic information1Sessions with ESC faculty will be held on 16 and 17 October:
http://www.escardio.org/Congresses-&-Events/Global-scientific-activities/South-America/Buenos-Aires-Argentina
2European
Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice
(version 2012). European Heart Journal. 2012;33:1635–1701.
doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehs092
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