The role of exercise in cardiac disorders

Physical activity (PA) has been demonstrated to have a powerful role in reducing cardiovascular risk and is therefore universally recommended by international guidelines. Although there is a dose-dependent risk reduction with increasing levels of PA, there is some concern that extreme levels of PA can result in adverse cardiovascular outcomes. It is important to adapt PA advice to each individual, and in particular to note that there are conditions that are not compatible with competitive sport because of increased cardiovascular risk. Exercise also has an key role in the assessment of patients presenting with symptoms that could potentially result from cardiovascular disease, both as a measure of the impact of the disease and as a diagnostic tool.