Exercise after a heart attack?

It's no secret that cardiovascular related conditions are on the increase in our society.

Recent statistics suggest that Ischemic Heart Disease is the second leading cause of death in New Zealand. Given the high prevalence of this condition and its ability to affect so many people, we feel it is important to reinforce the importance of exercise for this population.

Did you know

• Cardiovascular disease (heart, stroke and blood vessel disease) is still the leading cause of death in New Zealand, accounting for 30% of deaths annually

• Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease

• Many of these deaths are premature and preventable

• Almost one in twenty adults have been diagnosed with heart disease. That's 169,000 New Zealand adults

Almost half of adults in New Zealand are not physically active for more than 30 minutes per day!

Understandably, following a life-threatening event such as a heart attack, there will no doubt be some concern with commencing an exercise programme…

However, there is more risk associated with further events if you do not become physically active after such an event.

Research has suggested that only one out of every 10,000 vigorous exercising hours will someone have a cardiac related event – that is, if you always exercised for one hour three times a week you would only have the “opportunity” to have an event once in your lifetime (that’s one event almost every 64 years!).

Another set of research has estimated the risk at one per year for every 15,000 – 18,000 people.

Given your exercise programme is correctly prescribed with the appropriate focus and by people who are trained in the area, exercise can improve your cardiac condition and it’s associated symptoms. It will also help to prolong your life and prevent future episodes from occurring!

Please be aware that Cardiologist or General Practitioner approval may need to be obtained prior to any exercise programme.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to know more.

Megan McEwen www.meganmcewen.co.nz

Source: Heart Foundation NZ