A new study reveals that heart attack survivors who replace just 30 minutes of daily sitting with physical activity or sleep significantly reduce their risk of a secondary heart attack or other cardiovascular events.
Researchers found that prolonged sedentary behavior after a heart attack increases the likelihood of another cardiac event, but even light-intensity activity can halve this risk.
Heart attack survivors face a high risk of recurrence, with about one in five experiencing another heart attack within five years, according to the American Heart Association.
Beyond heart attacks, survivors are also vulnerable to complications like arrhythmia, heart failure, and sudden cardiac arrest. Despite advanced treatments, the risk remains substantial, prompting researchers to explore lifestyle interventions to improve outcomes.
In the study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, over 600 adults aged 21 to 96 who had been hospitalized for heart attack or chest pain wore wrist accelerometers for about 30 days to track their sedentary and active periods. The lead author, Dr.
Keith Diaz of Columbia University, noted many survivors avoid exercise due to fear, resulting in over 13 hours of sitting daily on average.
The study found that participants sitting more than 14 hours per day more than doubled their risk of a subsequent cardiac event or hospitalization within a year.
This highlights sedentary behavior as a harmful factor independent of exercise levels. Even those meeting exercise guidelines but sitting for long stretches faced increased risk.
Replacing 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity lowered the risk of a secondary cardiac event or death by 50%, while substituting with moderate to vigorous activity cut risk by 61%. Additionally, replacing sitting time with 30 minutes of extra sleep reduced risk by 14%, underscoring sleep’s restorative benefits.
Dr. Diaz emphasized that “doing something is better than doing nothing,” especially for survivors intimidated by intense exercise. Movement at any intensity supports recovery and reduces risk, making a healthy lifestyle more accessible.
Cardiologist Dr. Christopher Berg, not involved in the study, called the findings concerning but consistent with existing knowledge that prolonged inactivity harms cardiovascular health.
He highlighted the importance of breaking up sedentary time and praised the study’s message that even small changes can improve outcomes. However, he cautioned that as an observational study, causation cannot be confirmed, and other health factors may contribute to risk.
Overall, the research suggests heart attack survivors should minimize prolonged sitting by incorporating light activity or additional sleep to lower their chances of a second heart attack or other serious cardiovascular events.
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