CARDIOVASCULAR disease is an umbrella term for disorders that impact either the heart, blood vessels, or both. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity has many benefits, but it may provide the most help to people who already have cardiovascular disease.
Physical activity that individuals do during their leisure time may provide the highest level of health benefits.
Cardiovascular disease, or all disorders that impact the heart or blood vessels, is highly prevalent and serious. Experts estimate that almost halfTrusted Source of all American adults have some form of cardiovascular disease.
A recent study that appears in PLOS Medicinefound that individuals with cardiovascular disease can reap high benefits from physical activity.
However, among healthy individuals, there comes the point where increasing the level of physical exercise does not provide additional health benefits.
But researchers in this study found that the benefits of physical activity did not reach a similar plateau among participants with cardiovascular disease.
What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a broad term. As the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Trusted Source notes, CVD is any disease that impacts the heart or blood vessels, while heart disease includes disorders that specifically affect the heart.
The treatments for CVD can vary. Depending on the severity of the issue, people with CVD may need to take medications or undergo surgery.
Several risk factors increase a person’s risk of getting CVD. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source note that having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes increases a person’s risk for heart disease.
People can modify some risk factors to help prevent adverse health outcomes due to CVD.
Experts are still discovering how individuals can best prevent CVD and reduce their overall risk of death.
Physical activity has been the subject of many studies, and experts are still learning who benefits from it the most.
