Walking Tied to Lower Risk of Heart Failure in Older Women

A study published in JACC: Heart Failure suggests older women who exercise could cut their risk of heart failure, reports Reuters . The investigators analyzed data on 137,303 postmenopausal women 50 to 79 years old, of whom about 33 percent had high blood pressure while few had other risk factors for heart disease. After about 14 years, 2,523 women had heart failure, and those who got at least some exercise were 11 percent less likely to develop heart failure while those getting the most were 35 percent less likely. A total of 451 women who developed heart failure had a subtype characterized by reduced ejection fraction. Versus women who did not exercise, those who received at least a little activity were 19 percent less likely to develop this subtype, while women who exercised the most were 32 percent less likely. An additional 734 women with heart failure had a subtype with preserved ejection fraction, and those who got a little exercise were 7 percent less likely to develop this subtype than sedentary women. Women who got the most exercise were 33 percent less likely. The University at Buffalo, New York's Michael LaMonte notes that walking, the most common leisure activity among older adults, seems to be as effective as more vigorous regimens.