Being physically active may significantly reduce the risk of stroke and death in people with atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study, which analyzed data from more than 87,000 adults in Norway, found that even low levels of activity were associated with a 9% lower risk of stroke and an 11% lower risk of death from any cause, compared with being inactive.
“In general, people with AFib appear to be less active than the general population,” said lead study author Kristoffer Johansen, Ph.D., a researcher at the School of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø. “The results from our study indicate that physical activity was associated with a reduced risk of stroke and death in individuals with and without atrial fibrillation. So, regular physical activity is important for all and could be an important preventive strategy for people with AFib.”
The American Heart Association recommends all adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, along with muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week. This study underscores that even modest activity can yield health benefits.
Researchers tracked participants for about 15 years, using national health registries to capture AFib, stroke, and death. They divided participants into four groups based on self-reported physical activity levels, ranging from inactive to highly active. Compared with inactive adults, those with low, moderate, or high activity had a 9%, 19%, and 18% lower risk of stroke, respectively. For death from any cause, the reductions were 11%, 18%, and 22%.
Importantly, these benefits were similar for people with and without AFib, suggesting that having AFib does not diminish the protective effect of exercise. For people with AFib specifically, staying active was tied to living an average of 0.5 to 1.2 years longer compared to those who were inactive.
“I hope our results will increase awareness among clinicians and people with AFib about the benefits of even low levels of physical activity,” Johansen said. “Real health benefits can happen no matter when a person starts getting active, and even a little exercise is better than nothing.”
Mina Chung, M.D., FAHA, co-chair of a 2023 joint guideline for Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation from the American Heart Association, commented, “This study adds important evidence linking physical activity with lower risks of stroke and death in people with and without AFib. It’s important to remember that physical activity may also reflect overall health. Still, the results motivate patients to be as active as they can - even lower levels of activity were associated with benefit, while moderate to high levels were linked to greater benefit.”
The study included participants from two large Norwegian health studies: the HUNT Study and the Tromsø Study. The average age was about 51 years, and more than 6,500 participants had AFib. Researchers used a multiple-records approach, reclassifying individuals who developed AFib during follow-up to the AFib group to ensure accuracy.
Limitations include the observational design, which cannot prove causation, and reliance on self-reported activity levels. However, the authors note that similar results would be expected in a U.S. population.
For more information on physical activity and heart health, visit the American Heart Association’s Getting Physically Active page. The study is published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
