HIIT Exercise May Counteract Heart Disease Progression

As we know, exercise is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle and has many benefits from an evolutionary perspective. However, healthcare professionals have debated the type and intensity of exercise most beneficial for individuals with coronary artery disease.

A recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology sheds new light on this issue by examining the effects of high-intensity interval training on coronary atheromatous plaques. After selecting patients with stable coronary artery disease who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), patients were randomly assigned to follow high-intensity interval training or current preventive guidelines. The atheroma volume of patients was measured at baseline and after 12 months.

The results indicate that high-intensity interval training can counteract atherosclerotic coronary disease progression by reducing atheroma volume in residual coronary atheromatous plaques following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

The evidence of how high-intensity interval training can effectively reduce atherosclerotic coronary disease progression and improve cardiovascular health has significant implications. First, the possibility of HIIT as an effective way to mitigate atherosclerotic coronary disease progression introduces the idea of incorporating HIIT into patient rehabilitation programs. Moreover, adding HIIT into their lifestyle may improve their quality of life.

Healthcare providers may consider incorporating HIIT into rehabilitation programs for patients with coronary artery disease, and anyone hoping to optimize their heart health may create personal lifestyle goals and add HIIT to their routine.

By: Helena Zhang, BS & Michael Fredericson, MD