Exercise can Reduce the Risk of Arrhythmia in Older Women

These days, almost everyone is conscious of the wide variety of health advantages associated to exercise. But for older women, one more benefit been included to the list; scientists presenting in the Journal of the American Heart Association say improving the quantity or intensity of exercise can reduce dangers of building arrhythmia – a life-harmful irregular heartbeat.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiovascular problem that leads to arrhythmia, which refers to any change from the regular series of electrical signals in the heart.

With respect to the American Heart Association (AHA), when the heart does not beat appropriately, it is incapable to push blood effectively, which indicates the lungs, brain and other body parts are unable to work effectively, possibly even shutting down entirely.

In addition, when the heart’s capability to work effectively is reduced for extended periods of time, life-harmful circumstances could occur. For instance, blood clots can form in the heart’s upper compartments, which can pass into the bloodstream and resort in a narrowed artery causing in a stroke.

But the scientists from this latest research, lead by Dr. Marco V. Perez , identified that post-menopausal females who are the most physically exercise had a 10% reduced risk of developing AF, in comparison with women with reduced levels of physical exercise – even if they were overweight.

All women were registered in the Women’s Health initiative.

Most physically exercise females had 10% reduced risk of AF

At the starting of the research, the team questioned more than 81,000 post-menopausal women in between the ages of 50-79 how generally they walked outside for over 10 minutes everyday or how frequently they exercised sufficient to sweat.

As a signal of exercise, the scientists applied MET hours, which is a way of measuring of how much power is used while in exercise. For instance, 9 MET hours are the similar of walking quickly for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, or cycling leisurely for 1 hour, two times a week.

After the 11-year time interval while in which the research took place, the study team identified that the most physically active females – those who exercised the similar of 9 MET hours or much more each week – experienced a 10% reduced risk of developing AF, in comparison with those who did not walk outside for a minimum of 10 minutes once each week.

In addition, women who were slightly active – those who worked out around 3 MET hours per week – had a 6% reduced risk of developing AF. The scientists describe that walking quickly for 30 minutes, twice a week would fulfil this requirement.

Leaving comments on their results, Dr. Perez says:

“We identified the more physically active the women were, the much less probably it was that they would develop atrial fibrillation. Also, the more overweight the women were, the much more they benefited from having higher degrees of physical activity.”

Though he notices that earlier research recommended strenuous exercise might improve the threat for AF, he adds that “there should not be issues about these degrees of exercise and AF in older women.”