Understanding the epidemiology and pathophysiology of ischemic heart disease is essential for designing safe and effective therapeutic exercise programs for risk factor reduction.
May support exercise programs for risk reduction in ischemic heart disease; hypothesis-generating pending prospective trials.
Epidemiological studies have identified several risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing ischemic heart disease (IHD). Many of these factors, including hypertension, smoking, elevated blood fats, sedentary life style, and Type A personality, are related to life-style habits and, therefore, are modifiable. Studies indicate that the major risk factors directly influence the basic mechanisms of atherogenesis. Evidence from the primary and secondary prevention trials shows that reducing the risk factors decreases the likelihood of coronary disease progression and coronary morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic exercise programs for primary or secondary prevention clients can lead to significant risk-factor reduction. For therapists to design such programs safely and effectively, they must 1) be knowledgeable in the epidemiology, risk factors, and pathophysiology of IHD and 2) be able to relate this knowledge to a given client.
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R. Blessey (1985) studied this question.
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