[Cardiovascular benefits and hazard of physical practice].
The benefits of regular physical activity have been demonstrated in numerous epidemiologic studies in primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. However, even high level physical activity is not an absolute guarantee against complications of coronary artery disease. Sudden death remains a major complication of sports. Beyond 35-40 years of age, coronary artery disease is the main cause of sudden death during physical activity. In normotensive as well as hypertensive subjects, physical activity lowers blood pressure. It also has beneficial effects on body fat and increases HDL-cholesterol. Likewise, physical activity has documented beneficial effects in diabetic patients, for type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Overall, the advantages of regular physical activity clearly exceed the potential risk of sudden death which is usually caused by heavy exertion in otherwise unaware coronary patients.
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Service explorations fonctionnelles, unité de biologie et de médecine du sport, hôpital Pontchaillou, 2, rue Henri-Le-Guilloux, 35033 Rennes, 9, France. françois.carre@chu-rennes.fr
D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL