Adding an extra hour every week of physical activity may lower the chance of developing the most common type of irregular heartbeat (arryhthmia) by 11 percent, a new study shows.
Adding an extra hour every week of physical activity may lower the chance of developing the most common type of irregular heartbeat (arryhthmia) by 11 percent, a new study shows.
Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the investigation focused on atrial fibrillation, a condition in which the heart’s upper two chambers beat rapidly and irregularly instead of at a consistent pace. If left untreated, this can lead to stroke, heart failure, and other issues. While past studies have linked exercise to reduced risk of this type of arrhythmia, nearly all of these analyses have relied on participants’ often inaccurate estimates of their own activity levels, the authors say.
To avert this flaw, the current study team used data recorded from the fitness tracker Fitbit to objectively measure physical activity in more than 6,000 men and women across the United States. The results showed that those with higher amounts of weekly physical activity were less likely to develop atrial fibrillation. Notably, the researchers say, even modest amounts of moderate to vigorous exercise, which can range from taking a brisk walk or cleaning the house to swimming laps or jogging, were associated with reduced risk.
Read more at NYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Photo Credit: Fotorech via Pixabay
