1-Year Tailored Exercise Program Reduces AFib Recurrence By Nearly 50%
A one-year clinical trial with a tailored exercise program reduced AFib recurrence by 45%. RealPeopleGroup/E+/Getty Images Exercise interventions are underutilized in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AFib), an abnormal heart rhythm disorder. A one-year clinical trial with a tailored exercise program reduced time spent in atrial fibrillation by 45% compared with usual care (3.9% vs. 7.1%).…
A one-year clinical trial found that a tailored exercise program reduced atrial fibrillation (AFib) recurrence by nearly 50%. The study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2026, involved 295 participants with non-permanent AFib and low physical activity levels. Participants were randomly assigned to either usual care or a one-year exercise intervention.
The exercise group completed eight supervised high-intensity sessions initially, followed by primarily home-based exercises guided by a smartwatch, app, and web platform. Researchers measured AFib burden and AFib-specific quality of life after one year. Participants in the exercise group spent 3.9% of their time in AFib, compared with 7.1% in the usual care group, representing a 45% relative reduction in AFib burden.
The exercise intervention also improved cardiorespiratory fitness, resting heart rate, and reduced total hospitalizations by 37% and AFib-related hospitalizations by 46%. However, the improvement in quality of life was not statistically significant. Although the trial results are promising, further research is needed to determine the program's effectiveness on a broader patient population.
Written by urgent.news from Healthline News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
