Exercise may be at least as effective as some drugs in lowering the risk of death in stroke patients or people with heart disease, reveals a study published Wednesday that compares effectiveness of exercise versus drugs.
Researchers from the London School of Economics, Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine compared the findings of several studies into the effectiveness of exercise versus drugs in people with coronary heart disease, stroke patients, people with prediabetes and those with heart failure.
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The correlation between diet, lifestyle and heart disease. The importance of balanced diet life style and exercise for controlling heart disease.
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They analysed the results of 305 randomised controlled trials involving 339,274 individuals.
The data trawl "found no statistically detectable differences" between exercise and drug treatment in reducing mortality for people with coronary heart disease or prediabetes symptoms, according to a statement released by the British Medical Journal (BMJ), which published the study online.
![Exercise]( "Exercise")
It is important for us to understand the power of daily exercise. Only then can we motivate ourselves to inculcate the habit of exercise on a daily basis.
In stroke patients, the team found that exercise was more effective than drugs, while medicine worked better at treating heart failure.
The team urged more trials to back up their findings, given the current dearth of information on the topic.
While exercise is a key factor for better health and long life, most research focused on drugs instead.
Medical research, said the team, "seems to increasingly favour drug interventions over strategies to modify lifestyle."
"The current body of medical literature largely constricts clinicians to drug options", rather than prescribing exercise in cases where this may be a more effective treatment.
Until more is known, exercise "should be considered as a viable alternative to, or alongside, drug therapy", the team wrote.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says physical inactivity is the fourth-leading risk factor for global mortality, causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally each year.
Source: AFP
Exercise
It is important for us to understand the power of daily exercise. Only then can we motivate ourselves to inculcate the habit of exercise on a daily basis.
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In stroke patients, the team found that exercise was more effective than drugs, while medicine worked better at treating heart failure.
The team urged more trials to back up their findings, given the current dearth of information on the topic.
While exercise is a key factor for better health and long life, most research focused on drugs instead.
Medical research, said the team, "seems to increasingly favour drug interventions over strategies to modify lifestyle."
"The current body of medical literature largely constricts clinicians to drug options", rather than prescribing exercise in cases where this may be a more effective treatment.
Until more is known, exercise "should be considered as a viable alternative to, or alongside, drug therapy", the team wrote.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says physical inactivity is the fourth-leading risk factor for global mortality, causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally each year.
Source: AFP
Pre and Post Exercise Nutrition
Exercise is a need to eat better and perform better. Nourishing the body with wholesome food will make it grow stronger and fitter. Here's a complete guide to pre and post-exercise nutrition.
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 Lifestyle Paths to Heart DiseaseHeart disease can be of many types depending upon whether they involve the heart muscles or artery walls or heart beats. Bad lifestyle choices contribute to heart disease. | Advertisement
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