A Retrospective Observational Study Examining Physical Activity Among Adults in the United States With Angina or Coronary Heart Disease

INTRODUCTION: Coronary heart disease (CHD) involves inadequate blood supply to the myocardium by the coronary arteries due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque in the vessel lumen. It has a complex etiopathogenesis. Physical activity (PA) and exercise lead to vascular remodeling and improved endothelial function, which, in turn, improves the arterial blood supply to the myocardium. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to determine the prevalence of self-reported PA among CHD patients in the United States based on demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare access variables for the year 2021. METHODOLOGY: The data for the study on CHD were extracted using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Web-Enabled Analysis Tool database of the U.S. POPULATION: The control variables used broadly include demographics, socioeconomic, and healthcare access. RESULTS: In 2021, 433,615 people in the USA participated in the BRFSS study. Among them, 22,819 self-identified as having angina or CHD. In the past month, 62.2% of participants with the disease were involved in PA, and 37.8% were not. Among participants without angina or CHD, 76.5% were involved, and 23.5% were not involved in PA in the past month. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need for specific interventions to overcome obstacles preventing PA among CHD patients.