title: Physical excercise and thrombotic risk in the elderly.
abstract: Aging increases certain thrombotic risk factors, such as fibrinogen, factor VII, PAI-1 and plasma viscosity, contributing to cardiovascular diseases being the principal cause of death in developed countries. Physical exercise can counteract this tendency by influencing such factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of regular physical exercise on fibrinogen, factor VII, PAI-1 and plasma viscosity in an elderly group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three old people of both sexes, aged between 65 and 94, participated in this study, and were randomly distributed between a test group (n = 31) and a control group (n = 32). The test group followed a program of physical exercise for eight months, with an intensity of 60% to 80% of heart rate reserve, composed of three weekly sessions, on alternate days, of 60 minutes each. The control group maintained their normal activity. Before the beginning of the program and eight months afterwards, blood samples were collected to assess fibrinogen, factor VII, PAI-1 and plasma viscosity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the test group, fibrinogen, factor VII and plasma viscosity decreased significantly while PAI-1 showed no significant change. The control group did not present alterations in any of the parameters assessed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regular physical exercise decreases thrombotic risk and may help to reduce cardiovascular events in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Medicina I dos Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra Laboratório de Hematologia Clínica dos Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Veríssimo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aragäo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palmeiro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Saldanha
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D015444:Exercise; D005167:Factor VII / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D005167:Factor VII; D005340:Fibrinogen