Chronic kidney disease has been linked to premature death caused by heart disease, but a new study featured on Medical News Today reports that patients who practice moderate exercise may dodge that bullet.
In an effort to avert cardiovascular problems in CKD patients, Nicole Isbel, MD, Erin Howden PhD, and their colleagues developed an exercise and lifestyle program involving 150 minutes of "moderate intensity" exercise a week interspersed with sessions on behavior and lifestyle changes.
After 12 months of the regimen, those who underwent the program increased their maximal aerobic capacity by 11 percent. They also lost weight.
"Our findings suggest that with the inclusion of structured exercise training and the right team support, improvements in fitness are achievable even in people with multiple health issues. Improvements in fitness translate not only to improved health outcomes, but result in gains that are transferable to tasks of everyday life." Dr. Howden concludes.
(Photo by lululemon athletica via Flickr Creative Commons)
