Exercise Therapy Benefits for Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) places significant burdens on patients, families, and health care systems. The complex pharmacologic regimens that form the basis of HF management alone are not sufficient to effectively manage the disease. Exercise therapy is positively associated with lower mortality and higher survival rates, along with a significant reduction in cardiac events and hospitalizations. Exercise therapy benefits patients with HF without increasing treatment costs. Nurse practitioners are well suited to assist their patients in successfully and safely incorporating exercise into their daily lives.