Exercise May Extend Life For Chronically Ill

(NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adults who suffer from chronic health problems such as high blood pressure or heart disease can lower their short-term risk of death by exercising for at least 30 minutes a week, results of a study suggest.

During a 3-year study, patients aged 40 and older with at least two chronic diseases who exercised less than 30 minutes each week had nearly triple the risk of dying as their peers who exercised for at least a half-hour weekly. The protective effect of exercise remained regardless of age, gender, smoking and additional diseases, according to the report published in the May 14th issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Smoking was also a risk factor for death. Current smokers were nearly twice as likely to die during the study period as nonsmokers.

The findings point to the benefits of even a minor commitment to exercise. The study did not specifically address whether health insurance plans could save money by covering the costs of exercise programs. But the results suggest that ''offsetting some of the costs of being physically active might be one way that health insurance plans could encourage their members to lead more active lives,'' lead author Dr. Brian C. Martinson of HealthPartners Research Foundation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, said in an interview.

However, Martinson noted that lack of physical activity may indicate physical limitations related to illnesses that independently increase a person's risk of dying.

If this were the case, ``a simple question about lack of physical activity in the past week might help clinicians to identify which of their patients with multiple chronic conditions are at increased risk of dying in the short term,'' Martinson told Reuters Health.

Exercise has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood clots, which can lead to strokes, the researchers explain. They suggest that walking a dog daily, walking in malls or around the block can reduce the risk of death in older adults with chronic disease.

Martinson and colleagues interviewed more than 2,300 patients 40 and older with at least two chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure.

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine.

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