October 1, 2026Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Exercise Prescriptions for Cardiovascular Health in Adults: 2026 ACC Scientific Statement
Journal of the American College of Cardiology published a graphical abstract
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Why the study?
Exercise prescription remains inconsistently integrated into routine cardiovascular care despite its foundational role in cardiovascular prevention and treatment.
Key Points
- Substantial cardiovascular risk reductions occur when inactive individuals initiate physical activity, with additional gains accruing at higher training volumes and intensities.
- Scientific statement review synthesizes protocols across aerobic training, resistance training, and cardiac rehabilitation to guide structured interventions in routine practice.
- Supports embedding individualized exercise prescription into routine clinical care, while emphasizing that preparticipation exercise testing is not required for asymptomatic adults.
Structured PICO
P
Population
Adults across the spectrum of cardiovascular health and disease, including those with coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, cardiomyopathies, hypertension, overweight and obesity, adult congenital heart disease, and older age
I
Intervention
Exercise prescription (aerobic, resistance, balance, and flexibility training) and cardiac rehabilitation
This ACC scientific statement provides comprehensive guidance for clinicians on integrating tailored exercise prescriptions into routine cardiovascular care for prevention and disease management.
Key expert perspectives
Captured external expert commentary on this paper, strongest first. Original sources are linked where available.
“Patients do not need to become athletes to improve their cardiovascular health. Small increases in physical activity can produce meaningful benefits, particularly for those who are currently inactive.”
“Exercise is one of the most effective therapies available for preventing and managing [cardiovascular disease], yet it remains underutilized in routine care. This statement provides clinicians with practical tools to help patients safely incorporate exercise into their treatment plans and improve long-term cardiovascular health.”
Implication
Exercise prescriptions should now be routinely embedded in CV prevention and management; extends prior evidence with standardized clinical implementation guidance.
Abstract
Regular physical activity and structured exercise are foundational for cardiovascular prevention and treatment, yet exercise prescription remains inconsistently integrated into routine cardiovascular care. This American College of Cardiology scientific statement provides contemporary, practical guidance for clinicians on prescribing exercise across the spectrum of cardiovascular health and disease. The statement reviews evidence supporting physical activity, exercise training, and cardiorespiratory fitness as powerful determinants of cardiovascular outcomes, emphasizing that the greatest absolute benefits occur when inactive individuals begin moving and that additional benefits accrue with higher volumes and intensity, within appropriate clinical limits. It summarizes approaches to aerobic, resistance, balance, and flexibility training; highlights the role of cardiac rehabilitation and supervised, home-based, hybrid, and virtual models; and addresses individualized exercise prescription for patients with coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, cardiomyopathies, hypertension, overweight and obesity, adult congenital heart disease, and older age. The statement also discusses when exercise testing is useful to assess safety, guide intensity, establish baseline fitness, and monitor responses, while recognizing that routine preparticipation testing is not required for most asymptomatic individuals. Wearable devices and digital tools are reviewed as adjuncts to self-monitoring, goal setting, and cardiac rehabilitation extension, with attention to equity, access, and digital literacy. Key implementation priorities include improving clinician training, embedding physical activity counseling into cardiovascular care, tailoring prescriptions to patient goals and functional capacity, and expanding research on long-term adherence, clinical outcomes, diverse populations, and scalable delivery models. Exercise should be prescribed as a core component of cardiovascular prevention and disease management.
Discussion
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Cite This Study
MYERS et al. (2026) conducted a review in Cardiovascular health and disease. Exercise prescription was evaluated. Exercise prescription and physical activity should be integrated as a core component of cardiovascular prevention and disease management.