The effects of exercise atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease have been considered as major health problem worldwide. Abnormalities in lipids and lipoprotein metabolism and impairment of endothelial function have been implicated as the main contributing factors in atherosclerosis and its progression. Many factors have been attributed to the etiology of atherosclerosis; inherited and lifestyle factors contribute to the progression and clinical manifestations. A major contributor to this progression is abnormalities in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism.

A large number of studies have shown a relationship between HDL cholesterol and the incidence of atherosclerosis as well as a correlation between triglyceride concentration and atherosclerosis. The low levels of HDL cholesterol have a significantly increased risk of developing atherosclerosis. High triglyceride level with potentially atherogenic factors may affect its predictive power in coronary heart disease.

Among patients with established cardiovascular disease, mortality is lower among those who participate in an exercise program than among those who do not. There is also evidence that regular physical exercise reduces the development, and causes the regression of atherosclerotic lesions in coronary arteries of animal models of disease.

In an apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse model, Okabe et al. reported that swimming training caused a decreased lesion progression in exercised animal which was due to increased antioxidant effects mediated through the NO system (Okabe, Shimada et al. 2007).

Pinto et al. examined the effect of physical exercise on inflammatory pathways of atherosclerosis. They documented that regular physical exercise exerts anti-inflammation activity, being the interaction between contracting muscle and the other tissues and the circulating cells mediated through signals transmitted by "myokines" (IL-6, IL-8, IL-15) produced with muscle contractions. During muscle contractions are also released IL-1 receptor antagonis and sTNF-R, molecules that contribute to provide anti-inflammatory actions. Physical exercise could be considerate a useful weapon against local vascular and systemic inflammation in atherosclerosis (Pinto, Di Raimondo et al. 2012).

Yang et al. found that treadmill exercise blunted the development of lipid deposition and expression of inflammatory mediators in the endothelium of the aorta of rabbits on a high-fat diet without modifying blood lipid contents. Endothelium-dependent relaxation of the atherosclerotic aortas was also improved by physical exercise training (Yang, Jen et al. 2003).