Exercise Prescription: A Core Component of CVD Prevention and Treatment

An American College of Cardiology scientific statement emphasizes that exercise should be prescribed as a core component of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and management, with the greatest absolute benefits occurring when physically inactive individuals begin exercising. The statement provides practical guidance for tailoring aerobic, resistance, balance, and flexibility training to individuals across the spectrum of cardiovascular health and disease, including coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, cardiomyopathies, high blood pressure, obesity, adult congenital heart disease, and older age. It highlights the importance of cardiac rehabilitation through supervised, home-based, hybrid, and virtual programs, and discusses the role of exercise testing in assessing safety, guiding exercise intensity, and monitoring progress, while noting that routine preparticipation testing is unnecessary for most asymptomatic individuals. Wearable devices and digital tools can support self-monitoring, goal setting, and rehabilitation, but equitable access and digital literacy must be considered. Key priorities include integrating physical activity counseling into routine CVD care, improving clinician training, and individualizing exercise prescriptions according to patients’ goals and functional capacity. Further research is needed to improve long-term adherence, clinical outcomes, and scalable delivery. Source: https://www.jacc.org/