Scientists have named a way to reduce the genetic risk of heart failure
Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of heart attack and heart failure in people with a genetic predisposition to cardiomyopathy, a disease that weakens the heart muscle. This was reported on June 1 in the journal Medical Xpress.
Cardiomyopathy is a common name for a group of heart diseases in which the heart muscle (myocardium) changes its structure. Due to these changes, the heart cannot contract and pump blood normally, which leads to shortness of breath, weakness, and heart failure.
For the study, the authors analyzed data from more than 15,000 participants whose physical activity was monitored using wearable fitness devices, rather than from the words of the subjects. Among the participants, 831 people carried genetic variants that increase the risk of cardiomyopathy. The researchers call the use of objective data from trackers a key methodological advantage over earlier work.
The analysis showed a clear relationship between exercise levels and cardiovascular outcomes. Carriers of the mutation who did not follow the recommended norm — 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of intense activity per week, according to the standards of the US Department of Health — showed the highest incidence of cardiovascular events.
Those who regularly reached this threshold had a heart complication rate comparable to that of sedentary people without genetic risk. The lowest rates were recorded in physically active participants without pathogenic mutations.
"Genetic risk is not a verdict, and physical activity is a manageable factor that people can influence to protect their hearts," said Pankaj Arora, head of the study and director of the Cardiogenomics Clinic program.
Moderate loads include brisk walking, cycling at a slow pace and gardening; intensive loads include running, swimming, aerobics, jumping rope and heavy gardening. Lead researcher Amrita Nayak noted that an active lifestyle is important even for carriers of high-risk genetic variants. Garima Arora, a co-author of the work, pointed out that it is possible to identify the presence of a predisposition through genetic testing, after which lifestyle adjustments can be made in a timely manner.
On May 27, Medical Xpress magazine ruled out the harm of natural trans fats in milk for heart health. According to the researchers, they behave differently in the body compared to their industrial counterparts and, unlike artificial compounds directly related to heart disease, do not pose a threat to health.
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