{
  "id": 14712170,
  "title": "Exercise should be prescribed as a core component of cardiovascular care, say researchers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/exercise-should-be-prescribed-as-a-core-component-of-cardiovascular",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-15T14:00:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-core-component-cardiovascular.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Researchers urge that exercise be prescribed as a core component of cardiovascular care, according to a new American College of Cardiology scientific statement published in JACC. The statement stresses that even modest increases in physical activity can lead to significant reductions in cardiovascular risk for sedentary individuals. Low cardiorespiratory fitness is a significant predictor of future cardiovascular disease, comparable to traditional risk factors like smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes. However, exercise prescriptions are not consistently integrated into routine cardiovascular care. The research highlights evidence showing that regular physical activity, structured exercise, and improved cardiorespiratory fitness enhance exercise capacity, reduce hospitalizations, and improve quality of life. Experts emphasize that any activity is better than none, and small increases in physical activity can produce meaningful benefits, especially for those currently inactive. For instance, meaningful cardiovascular benefits can be achieved with fewer than 10,000 daily steps, with approximately 5,000 to 7,000 steps per day associated with substantial improvements in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Key recommendations include incorporating exercise counseling into routine cardiovascular care, expanding access to cardiac rehabilitation, and conducting additional research on strategies to improve long-term adherence to physical activity. The statement underscores that individualized exercise should be a central element in preventing and managing cardiovascular disease, with the greatest risk reduction observed when inactive individuals become moderately active. Regular exercise improves fitness and quality of life while reducing hospitalizations. Aerobic and resistance training, along with expanded access to cardiac rehabilitation, are strongly recommended.",
  "summary": "Exercise should be prescribed as a foundational component of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and treatment, according to a new American College of Cardiology scientific statement published in JACC.",
  "key_points": [
    "Exercise should be core component of cardiovascular care, researchers say",
    "Even modest physical activity reduces cardiovascular risk significantly",
    "Regular activity improves fitness, quality of life, and hospitalizations"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}