How Much Exercise Is Needed?

Regular physical activity is now established as a relevant and effective approach to reduce risk factors, to improve physical capacity, longevity and quality of life. There is large evidence from many studies, that this holds true for primary as well as secondary prevention (or rehabilitation). Physical exercise improves symptoms and signs in coronary artery disease aswell as exercise capacity thus reducing rehospitalisation and mortality. In patients with cardiac failure, regular training under supervision is effective in increasing ejection fraction and exercise capacity and, also, in reducing mortality. Furthermore, quality of life is improved in these otherwise sedentary patients. Exercise training is effective in systolic as well as in diastolic heart failure or heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HfpEF) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HfrEF). The given recommendations for physical activity can also be applied to patients with cardiac failure and implanted AICD. This paper gives practical recommendation to physical activity and exercise training as therapy in groups of patients with cardiac diseases and for individual training regimen as well.