The WHO’s recommended level of physical exercise is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week.1 However, on average, only four in ten adults in the European Union exercise regularly.2 Incorporating regular physical activity – such as aerobic exercises, strength training and flexibility exercises – into your routine could significantly improve your heart health and help reduce the risk associated with physical activity and cardiovascular disease (CVD).3
How Physical Activity and CVD Are Connected – and Why Every Move Matters
Regular movement not only strengthens the body but also significantly supports exercise and cardiovascular health, helping to maintain a strong circulatory system throughout life. With busy schedules and sedentary lifestyles increasingly becoming the norm, the importance of physical exercise cannot be overstated.1 Currently, a third of Europeans don’t meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines for physical activity.2
If they did, this could potentially avert over 11.5 million new cases of noncommunicable diseases by 2050, including 3.8 million cases of CVD.4 Physical inactivity has contributed to the rising prevalence of hypertension in Europe, but people who exercise or engage in physical activity can reduce their risk of developing heart disease and stroke.1,5
Being physically active to prevent CVD
Understanding the link between CVD and exercise is essential when aiming to reduce risk through lifestyle changes. Exercise can play a crucial role in reducing the risk of CVD by positively impacting several risk factors associated with it; being active can reduce an individual’s risk of developing certain heart and circulatory diseases such as heart disease and stroke by as much as 35%.1,6 Engaging in regular physical activity offers a powerful defence against CVD in a number of ways:
- Strengthening of the heart muscle – a stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort, making it easier for blood to travel to the lungs and throughout the body.7
- Lowering of blood pressure – physical activity helps to lower blood pressure by promoting better blood vessel function and reducing the resistance of blood flow.8 This means the strain on the heart and arteries is reduced because of the decrease in blood pressure.8
- Decreasing levels of LDL-cholesterol – engaging in physical activity can increase the levels of “good” HDL-cholesterol while lowering levels of “bad” LDL-cholesterol.9 This balance is important for reducing the build-up of fatty plaque in arteries.9
Choosing the Right Exercises to Support Your Heart
Recent research underscores the strong connection between physical activity and CVD outcomes. A 2023 meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that adults who accumulated approximately 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week had a 29 % lower risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease compared to inactive individuals.10 The analysis also highlighted that this association was stronger and more curvilinear for cardiovascular mortality than for other causes of death, reinforcing how deeply heart health benefits from consistent physical activity.10
Engaging in cardiovascular exercise doesn’t have to mean running marathons. There are many gentle yet effective ways to stay active and protect your heart. Walking briskly, swimming, cycling, dancing, and gardening are all accessible forms of aerobic activity that can be tailored to different fitness levels and preferences.10
Exercise Types and World Health Organisation (WHO)-Recommended Weekly Minutes: A Comparison11
| Type of Physical Activity | Examples | WHO Recommendation for adults aged 18–64 years |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate-intensity aerobic | Brisk walking, cycling, dancing, gardening | ≥150–300 minutes per week |
| Vigorous-intensity aerobic | Running, swimming laps, aerobic classes | ≥75–150 minutes per week |
| Muscle-strengthening | Weightlifting, resistance bands, body weight workout | 2 days per week with moderate or greater intensity |
| Balance-enhancing (for 65+) | Tai chi, yoga, balance exercises | 150 minutes of moderate-intensity per week |
| Mixed moderate/ vigorous aerobic | High-intensity interval training (HIIT), circuit training | Equivalent combination of above durations |
Enhancing rehabilitation with physical activity
For individuals undergoing rehabilitation or living with cardiovascular conditions, the European Society of Cardiology now endorses supervised high-intensity interval training (HIIT). When properly prescribed, HIIT can improve vascular function – for example, by increasing brachial artery flow-mediated dilation by 2.15 to 4.31 % – without raising the risk of adverse events.12
As well as reducing the risk of CVD, regular physical activity offers a multitude of benefits that may aide those who have already been diagnosed with CVD:
- Reduces the risk of secondary CV events – research has shown that participating in structured exercise programs as part of a cardiac rehabilitation may reduce the risk of future cardiovascular events and hospitalisations.13
- Supports stress reduction – stress can cause the arteries to tighten, which can increase the risk of heart disease.14 Exercise has been shown to reduce stress levels by releasing endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers.15
- Improves heart function – engaging in exercise during rehabilitation may support individuals in regaining and improving their heart’s pumping ability, endurance, and overall functional capacity.16
These benefits highlight the importance of exercise for heart health, not only as prevention but also during recovery and beyond.
Take Charge of Your Heart Health Through Personalised Activity
It is important to note that exercise programs should be tailored to best meet individual’s needs, medical conditions, and fitness levels. Consulting with a healthcare professional may be helpful to ensure your exercise plan is safe and effective.
At Daiichi Sankyo, we are driven to help improve patient outcomes, and that is why we are passionate about empowering people to take an active role in managing their health. Through raising awareness of holistic approaches to protect heart health and the importance of lifestyle choices in reducing the risk of CVD, we strive to support clinical communities and healthcare ecosystems to reduce the impact of CVD across Europe.
