Association between Physical Activity and Coronary Artery Diseases: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Introduction: Regular physical activity decreases the incidence of cardiovascular disease but the mechanisms determining this reduction are related to the modulation of classic risk factors and maintenance of endothelial function. This narrative review highlighted physical activity and exercise a role in the prevention of CAD, which postulates that exercise is influenced by variables at multiple levels.
Methods: A systematic literature search of RCTs were conducted in PubMed Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Moreover, reference lists of retrieved articles were hand-searched for trials that may meet inclusion criteria but cannot be retrieved in the initial search. The literature search was performed independently by two reviewers. Irrelevant studies and duplicates were removed, and then titles and abstracts were fully screened. We decided not to include outcomes in the search string, in order to include a wide range of literature on the central subject, including only population and intervention.
Results: In the included studies, a total of 15 studies were included in this review with a total of 1,272 participants with a dropout rate ranging from 0% to 38%. The main reason for dropout was low compliance with exercise protocols or withdrawal of consent, rather than medical reasons. A total of six patients failed to complete the study because of angina, atrial fibrillation, pericarditis, or myocardial infarction. Most of the trials enrolled both male and female patients except four, which only recruited males.
Conclusions: Many studies recommended the length, intensity, and duration of physical activity to prevent coronary artery diseases, as well as other cardiovascular diseases. Physical activity with at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week reduces the risk of coronary artery diseases.