Exercise Can Increase Survival After First Heart Attack

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Exercise is not just a preventive measure against cardiovascular diseases. Being in good shape also increases your chances of survival after a heart attack, according to a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins and Henry Ford Health System.

According to a report from Medical Daily, the findings of the recent study reveals that patients with high levels of physical activity have increased chances of survival after first heart attack. The new study was published online in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings on Feb. 1.

"We knew that fitter people generally live longer, but we now have evidence linking fitness to survival after a first attack," Medical Daily quoted Dr. Michael Blaha, director of clinical research for Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in a statement released.

"It makes sense, but we believe this is the first time there is documentation of the association", he added.

For the study, Blaha and his colleagues analyzed medical data gathered from more than 2,000 men and women, Health Day reports. Participants were at an average age of 62 with 38 percent female and 56 percent Caucasian.

Researchers used the Henry Ford Exercising Testing Project also known as FIT Project which included individuals who have done treadmill stress test before they suffered their first heart attack. The researchers used patients' achieved metabolic equivalent (MET) score as a quick although not a perfect measure of energy consumption at rest and during physical activity.

MET scores range from 1 to 12 with 12 as being the most physically fit which equals to sprinting. Meanwhile, one is considered as equivalent of sitting on the couch, three with walking, 7 equivalent with jogging and 10 with jumping rope.

Overall, researchers found that 634 patients whose MET scores are 10 or higher were 40 percent less likely to die after a first attack compared to other patients. They also noted that one-third of the 754 patients with MET scores 6 or less died within a year of their first attack.

Taken as a whole, each whole number increase in MET score was linked to an eight percent lower risk of death after a heart attack stated by researchers. However, the researchers emphasized that only an association was seen between MET scores and risk of death after a first heart attack and not a cause-and-effect connection. Fitter patients still had heart attacks although they are more likely to survive.

It is estimated that about 550 people in the United States have first-time heart attack, according to the American Heart Association. Although healthcare agencies recommend exercise for improving overall survival, too much exercise may reverse its benefits. Heart disease patients are recommended to try yoga to get in-tune with their bodies and find the perfect exercise for them.

Here's a bonus clip from ACI for the best exercise routines for your heart: