Regular Physical Activity May Prevent Heart Failure in Older Women

Promoting regular physical activity (PA) and discouraging a sedentary lifestyle may prevent heart failure (HF) in older women, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology.

In this cohort analysis, called the Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health in Older Women study, investigators assessed 5951 women who were 63 to 99 years of age and had no known history of HF. Patients in the population of interest wore a triaxial accelerometer on the hip for 7 consecutive days. The investigators analyzed daily PA (total, light, moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA] and steps) and sedentary behavior. The main end point was defined as adjudicated incident HF, preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and reduced EF (HFrEF).

The researchers observed 407 HF cases at follow-up. The results showed that overall HF and HFpEF were significantly inverse for total PA and steps per day and positive for total sedentary time. Light PA and MVPA were inversely associated with overall HF (hazard ratio [HR] per 1 standard deviation, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78-0.98 and HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73-0.97) and HFpEF (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.70-0.93 and HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.72-1.01) but not HFrEF, the researchers noted. The association did not differ by age, race and ethnicity, body mass index, physical function, or comorbidity score.

“Higher accelerometer-measured PA (MVPA, light PA, steps per day) was associated with lower risk (and greater total sedentary time with higher risk) of overall HF and HFpEF in a racially and ethnically diverse cohort of older women. Increasing PA and reducing sedentary time for primary HFpEF prevention may have relevant implications for cardiovascular resilience and healthy aging in later life,” the researchers concluded.