Exercise rehab cuts heart attack risk and hospital admissions
A University of Glasgow study of 26,000 patients finds exercise-based cardiac rehab cuts heart attacks by 28% and hospital admissions by 35%.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A new study has found that exercise-based rehabilitation for people who have had heart attacks significantly reduces their risk of another heart attack and lowers the chance of being admitted to hospital again. Researchers at the University of Glasgow analysed data from more than 26,000 patients and found that those who took part in exercise rehabilitation were 28% less likely to have a further heart attack. The same group also saw a 35% reduction in hospital admissions.
The study adds to a growing body of evidence that structured exercise programmes, which are already offered on the NHS, are a cheap and effective way to improve recovery. One of the experts behind the research said the savings from preventing a single hospital stay were substantial, and that the intervention could actually save the NHS money rather than cost it.
The findings are illustrated by the experience of Prince, a 34-year-old man who had a heart attack despite being healthy and active. He was later found to have an underlying heart condition. Prince said exercise played a massive part in his recovery, helping to rebuild his confidence, which had dropped to zero. He now exercises about five times a week without fail, giving himself the best chance of avoiding a repeat.
The government says it is taking action to help more people access cardiac rehabilitation, which is not always taken up by those who could benefit. The study reinforces the value of such programmes, both for patients and for the wider health service.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| Exercise-based rehabilitation reduced hospital admissions by 35%. | |
| Exercise-based rehabilitation reduced the risk of heart attacks by 28%. | |
| The government said it is taking action to improve access to cardiac rehabilitation. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1's report centres on the human story of a young heart attack survivor alongside the study's statistics, giving a personal face to the clinical findings. It also stresses the cost-saving potential for the NHS, framing exercise rehabilitation as a low-cost intervention that could reduce pressure on the health service.
- “Exercise has massively aided my recovery because my confidence levels was literally at zero.”
- “The prevention of that one hospitalisation in terms of cost to NHS is substantial.”
Broadcast Timeline
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