By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)– Exercise may help reduce depression for those with heart failure. Researchers at Duke University gave heart failure patients a questionnaire, measuring depressive symptoms like sadness, irritability, and disturbed sleep. They were then randomly assigned into one of two groups for usual care, and usual care with an exercise routine.
Patients who exercised for 90 minutes a week reduced their symptoms of depression compared to those who just received usual care. Beyond those 90 minutes, exercise did nothing more.
Dr. James Blumenthal led the study.
“We do recommend exercise for heart failure patients. It improves cardiovascular fitness and it also reduces depressive symptoms.”
The study in the journal of the American Medical Association was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Nicholas Garlow. Learn more at healthfinder.gov.