Commentary on Viewpoint: Exercise and cardiovascular risk reduction: Time to update the rationale for exercise?

Abstract

VIEWPOINTCommentary on Viewpoint: Exercise and cardiovascular risk reduction: Time to update the rationale for exercise?Melanie ElliottMelanie ElliottPublished Online:01 Aug 2008https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00160.2008MoreSectionsPDF (26 KB)Download PDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesGet permissionsTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInWeChat ENHANCED VASCULAR FUNCTION: A RATIONALE FOR EXERCISE AND MARKER OF CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTHto the editor: The article by Green et al. (3) emphasizes a critical problem for cardiovascular disease risk assessment and management: the limitations of current risk factors as a measure of vascular health. Fortunately, researchers, including Green and colleagues, continue to address this issue while the mechanisms of cardiovascular disease are studied. Unfortunately, big breakthroughs in this area have yet to be uncovered. A recent study by Wang et al. (4) found that the use of multiple biomarkers based on current cardiovascular risk factors added just moderately to the prediction of cardiovascular events and death. Future research focusing on contemporary cardiovascular risk factors such as endothelial function and serum biomarkers will ultimately lead to improved risk assessment. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, an assessment of endothelial function, was an independent predictor of cardiovascular risks in patients with established vascular disease (2). Testing endothelial function has great potential for cardiovascular risk assessment and disease management. However, substantial progress is needed before such tools as flow-mediated dilation may be used for cardiovascular risk assessment (1). It is noteworthy of authors to point out that exercise, similar to pharmacological interventions, may have differential effects for healthy individuals compared with those with certain risk factors or disease. Similarly, studies of endothelial function in individuals without known cardiovascular disease have reported mixed results (1). More work is to be done especially in open areas of endothelial function research that include healthy cohorts as well as diseased. In the meantime, update the rationale for exercise!REFERENCES1 Anderson TJ. Prognostic significance of brachial flow-mediated vasodilation. Circulation 115: 2373–2375, 2007.Crossref | ISI | Google Scholar2 Brevetti G, Silvestro A, Schiano V, Chiarello M. Endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular risk prediction in peripheral arterial disease. Circulation 108: 2093–2098, 2003.Crossref | PubMed | ISI | Google Scholar3 Green DJ, Driscoll GO, Joyner MJ, Cable NT. Viewpoint: Exercise and cardiovascular risk reduction: time to update the rationale for exercise? J Appl Physiol; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.010128.2007.Crossref | Google Scholar4 Wang TJ, Gona P, Larson MG, Tofler GH, Levy D, Newton-Cheh C, Jacques PF, Rifai N, Selhub J, Robins SJ, Benjamin EJ, D'Agostino, Vasan RS. Multiple biomarkers for the prediction of first major cardiovascular events and death. New Engl J Med 355: 2631–2639, 2006.Crossref | PubMed | ISI | Google ScholarAUTHOR NOTESAddress for reprint requests and other correspondence: M. Elliott, 3307 N. Broad St., Jones Hall 6th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19140 (e-mail: [email protected]) Download PDF Previous Back to Top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedInformationCited ByEchocardiographic Assessment of Left Ventricular Function 10 Years after the Ultra-Endurance Running Event Eco-Trail de Paris® 20116 July 2022 | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 19, No. 14Ultra-endurance exercise induces stress and inflammation and affects circulating hematopoietic progenitor cell function1 December 2014 | Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, Vol. 25, No. 5 More from this issue > Volume 105Issue 2August 2008Pages 776-776 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2008 the American Physiological Societyhttps://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00160.2008PubMed18678639History Published online 1 August 2008 Published in print 1 August 2008 Metrics