PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN THE ELDERLY

People over the age of 65 constitute a growing proportion of the world population both in western and in developing countries. A unique feat ure of this group is the high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, w hich negatively affect its quality of life as well as its life expecta ncy. Among the interventions able to reduce the health burden of cardi ovascular diseases is physical activity. The benefits of physical acti vity have been demonstrated both in healthy and chronically ill elderl y subjects, while the risks have been found to be modest. Physicians s hould recommend moderate-intensity physical activity to sedentary olde r subjects, who are still the majority within the elderly population.