The study conducted by researchers with the European Society of Cardiology provides further evidence of the association between leg strength and a lower risk of heart failure post-acute myocardial infarction. By focusing on the correlation between leg strength and heart failure risk in patients who suffered from acute myocardial infarction between 2007 and 2020, the study contributes to the growing body of research emphasizing the importance of physical activity and muscle strength in reducing the risk of heart failure and maintaining cardiovascular health.
The results of this study, along with prior research, underscore the potentially crucial role of quadriceps strength in reducing the risk of heart failure, particularly among individuals at high risk for cardiac disease. The research suggests that simple assessments of quadriceps strength may help to identify patients who require closer surveillance and more targeted interventions to prevent heart failure.
The study conducted by the European Society of Cardiology demonstrates the importance of promoting physical activity and muscle strength as part of preventative strategies against heart failure, particularly among those who have suffered myocardial infarction. By assessing quadriceps strength as a leg strength indicator, healthcare providers can identify patients at high risk of heart failure and provide them with closer surveillance and more targeted interventions.
During the study, 932 patients who did not have heart failure before entering the hospital participated, and the study did not develop heart failure complications during their hospital stay. The use of a handheld dynamometer attached to the ankle to record the maximum value in kilograms provides a simple and accurate way to measure maximal quadriceps strength, which can be applied in clinical settings to assess a patient’s risk of developing heart failure.
The researchers used the average of both legs’ strength measurements for each patient and classified them as having either “low” or “high” strength, depending on whether their value was below or above the average for their sex. The study expressed strength relative to body weight, meaning that quadriceps strength in kilograms was divided by body weight in kilograms, and multiplied by 100 for a percentage body weight value.
The study’s findings indicated that patients who had strong quadriceps had a lower risk of developing heart failure after experiencing acute myocardial infarction than those with weak quadriceps. This finding supports prior studies that showed a correlation between strong quadriceps and a lower risk of death among coronary artery disease patients.
This research reveals the importance of leg strength and physical activity in reducing the risk of heart failure following a heart attack. Strengthening the quadriceps through physical activity or strength training may play a crucial role in preventing heart failure in those at risk. Through further studies, these findings may be confirmed, and healthcare providers may be able to recommend strength training for patients who experience acute myocardial infarction to prevent heart failure.
The study found that the average value of quadriceps strength was 33 percent body weight for women and 52 percent for men. Out of the total 932 patients, 481 had high quadriceps strength, and another 451 had low quadriceps strength. During the follow-up period of four-and-a-half years, 67 patients, or 7.2%, developed heart failure. Heart failure incidence was 10.2 per 1,000 person-years in patients with high quadriceps strength and 22.9 per 1,000 person-years in patients with low strength.
The researchers analyzed the association between quadriceps strength and heart failure risk, adjusting for various factors known to have a connection to heart failure post-myocardial infarction. They found that high quadriceps strength was linked to a 41% lower risk of heart failure than low quadriceps strength. Furthermore, each five percent body weight increment in quadriceps strength was associated with an 11-percent lower chance of heart failure.
Kensuke Ueno, a physical therapist at the Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences and a study author, stated that quadriceps strength is easy and simple to measure accurately in clinical practice. The study’s findings suggest that quadriceps strength could help to identify patients at a higher risk of heart failure following a heart attack by receiving more intense surveillance. He also recommended that strength training involving the quadriceps muscles be encouraged for patients who have experienced a heart attack to prevent heart failure.
The presentation of the study at Heart Failure 2023 highlights the potential importance of quadriceps strength in preventing heart failure and improving cardiovascular health among post-myocardial infarction patients. The study’s findings emphasize the significance of physical activity and muscle strength in reducing the risk of heart failure and showing a possible correlation with the prevention of heart failure onset.
The results of this study suggest that a simple assessment of quadriceps strength could help to identify patients at high risk for heart failure, enabling healthcare providers to offer more intensive surveillance and treatment. However, the researchers acknowledge the need for further studies to replicate their findings and ascertain the validity of their conclusions.
In summary, this study, along with prior research, provides additional evidence of the importance of muscle strength and physical activity in reducing the risk of heart failure and maintaining cardiovascular health. Healthcare professionals play a crucial role in promoting physical activity and regular exercise as part of preventative strategies against heart failure.
Assessments of quadriceps strength as an indicator of leg strength can help identify patients at high risk of heart failure, enabling healthcare providers to offer targeted interventions to prevent heart failure onset and improve outcomes. Further research can help refine and improve preventive and treatment strategies, ultimately leading to better management of heart failure and reduced incidence of cardiac disease. Overall, this study emphasizes the critical role of physical activity and muscle strength in maintaining cardiovascular health and preventing heart failure.