Doing household chores can keep heart attack at bay

New Delhi: If you have a grandparent who has had a heart attack, ask him or her to stay active by doing some household chores to reduce their risk of having another one.

Exercise has been shown to have huge benefits for people with cardiovascular disease as it cuts their chance of a repeat attack, and improves independence and quality of life.

As per a new study, simple household tasks, such as making bed, doing laundry or carrying groceries can start the road to recovery for people who have had a heart attack or a stroke.

A daily walk is proven to be beneficial, and tai chi, yoga and balance training can help, but encouraging patients to do more chores around the house is the simplest way to get people moving, according to researchers.

The study siad patients should be encouraged to do everyday household chores instead of simply given medication.

The document said simple household tasks can improve strength and balance and reduce frailty - particularly among elderly patients.

The study suggests exercise training is still a daunting challenge for the majority of older patients with cardiovascular disease, reports Mail Online.

"Encouragement to make a bed, carry laundry, climb stairs, dance, or walk as part of a daily routine may better achieve healthful physically active behaviour in many older adults," the researchers stated.

Dr Daniel Forman, a geriatric cardiologist and chair of the American Heart Association, said doctors are too focused on using drugs - and instead should prioritise exercise.

"Many healthcare providers are focussed only on the medical management of diseases, such as heart failure, heart attacks, valvular heart disease and strokes, without directly focusing on helping patients maximize their physical function," he said.

Dr Forman of the University of Pittsburgh added, "Emphasising physical function as a fundamental part of therapy can improve older patients` quality of life and their ability to carry out activities of daily living."

"By the time they`re 75, about half of cardiac patients are taking more than 10 medications, and they can have cumulative effects that are uncertain and which can be debilitating," Forman concluded.

The study published by the American Heart Association appears in the Circulation medical journal.

(With ANI inputs)