A six-month exercise program helps maintain normal heart rhythm and reduces the severity of symptoms in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to new research.
«The ACTIVE-AF trial demonstrates that some patients can control their arrhythmia through physical activity, without the need for complex interventions such as ablation or medications to keep their heart in normal rhythm,» said study author Dr. Adrian Elliott of the University of Adelaide, Australia.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a heart rhythm disorder that makes the heart beat fast and irregularly. The most common symptoms are palpitations, shortness of breath, light headedness, and fatigue, which can dramatically impact quality of life. Patients have significant risks of stroke and heart failure. The global prevalence of AF is increasing rapidly and is estimated to be over 30 million people,2 while the lifetime risk of the disorder for individuals over the age of 55 may be as high as one in three.3
Exercise-based rehabilitation is recommended for patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure, but few studies have examined the benefits in AF. An observational study found that patients who gained cardiorespiratory fitness over a five-year follow-up were significantly less likely to have recurrences of AF.4 A randomised controlled trial showed that 12 weeks of aerobic interval training reduced the time spent in AF compared to usual care but the study enrolled just 51 patients and follow-up was only four weeks.5
The ACTIVE-AF trial assessed the impact of a six-month exercise programme combining supervised and home-based aerobic exercise on AF recurrence and symptom severity — during the intervention and after a further six months of follow-up. The study included patients with short AF episodes (paroxysmal AF) or longer episodes requiring intervention to restore normal rhythm (persistent AF). Patients whose normal heart rhythm cannot be restored (permanent AF) were excluded.
The trial randomly allocated 120 patients with symptomatic AF to an exercise intervention or usual care for six months. The intervention included supervised exercise (weekly for three months then fortnightly for three months) and an individualised weekly plan to follow at home. Over the six months the target was to increase aerobic exercise up to 3.5 hours per week. Supervised sessions were typically higher intensity to raise cardiorespiratory fitness, while home-based exercise was typically a moderate intensity aerobic activity of the patient’s choice (e.g. walking, indoor cycling, swimming). The usual care group received exercise advice but no active intervention. All patients received usual medical care from their cardiologist who was blinded to study group allocation.
Story Source:
Materials provided by European Society of Cardiology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.