Abnormal Heart May Reduce Exercise Capacity
Abnormality Reduces Ability to Partake in Physical Activity
Jan 27, 2009
Exercise is important for many reasons. Physical activity is associated with heart health, good circulation, and weight control and mood elevation. Exercise seems to be one of the first things recommended for health and well being, but for some people, exercise is not so easy.
Inability to exercise can impact health and well being for patients who do not have the capacity to endure sustained activity.
Patients with an abnormality of the heart, called abnormal diastolic function (which is when the heart is relaxed and expanded), in the left ventricle of the heart; have a much lower capacity for exercise. Study findings were published in the January 21 issue of JAMA.
Diastolic Dysfunction
The American Heart Association defines Diastolic Dysfunction as impaired relaxation of the heart. The association explains, on their website, that the heart contracts and relaxes with each heartbeat. The contraction part of the cycle is called systole. The relaxation portion is call diastole.
In some people with heart failure, the contraction function is normal but the relaxation function is impaired.
Relationship Between Diastolic Dysfunction and Exercise
There are many factors that can be associated with a reduced capacity to exercise. Factors include female sex, age, body mass index (BMI) and co-existing medical conditions.
According to the press release about the Mayo Clinic study, some research has suggested that assessing the left ventricular function could be used to predict exercise capacity. The left ventricular is one of four chambers in the heart.
A study to examine the relationship between left ventricular diastolic function and exercise capacity was conducted by Jasmine Grewal, M.D., of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and colleagues. The study included 2,867 patients who were assessed using echocardiography, which is a noninvasive diagnostic procedure that uses ultrasound to study how the heart functions by looking at the heart's motions and structure.
Researchers found that impaired relaxation, or diastolic dysfunction, was strongly and inversely linked to exercise capacity.
Additional factors that relate to the capacity to exercise include age, female sex and a BMI greater than 30.
Study authors stated in a press release that they had identified factors that had the potential to be modified so that they could prevent intolerance to exercise. The author wrote that "It is well known that exercise training improves diastolic function in healthy individuals."
In a YouTube Video on the Mayo Clinic website, Dr. Pellikka stated that the relaxation for the heart muscle increases as people age. She did state that there are things that can be done immediately. She said that the diastolic dysfunction can be caused by hypertension (high blood pressure) and coronary artery disease.
Information in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.
Resources
JAMA and Archives Journals by Mayo Clinic: Abnormal heart function associated with reduced capacity for exercise.
American Heart Association website
Related Article
Heart Truth Campaign: Fashion and Heidi Klum
 |
