Internal Medicine: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

Exercise and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

J Kelly Smith

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide. The current pan epidemic of type 2 diabetes, a major risk factor for ACVD, suggests that the morbidity and mortality associated with ACVD will only worsen unless more effective life style modifications and therapies are developed. Encouragingly, moderate intensity physical exercise done on a regular basis has been shown to reduce all-cause mortality, particularly that due to ACVD. Physical conditioning can have a favorable impact on risk factors for ACVD, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome, and along with proper diet and drug therapy, diminish or reverse the cell-mediated inflammatory responses that are responsible for atherogenesis.