Volume 30, Issue 175, September 2026

Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Disease: Impact on Cardiovascular Health and Prevention

Aleksandra Frączek¹, Angelika Juszczyk^2♦, Gabriela Kaptur³, Anna Mierzwa⁴, Sylwia Pietrajtis², Anna Wrona⁴, Kinga Rosołowska⁵, Magdalena Lelek⁶, Kinga Kaczmarska⁷

¹Nikolay Pirogov Specilized Distirict Hospital in Łódź, Poland
²St. Aleksander Hospital in Kielce, Kielce, Poland
³The Father Jerzy Popiełuszko Bielański Hospital, Poland
⁴The Independent Public Team of Healthcare Facilities in Wyszków, Poland
⁵St. Raphael Provincial Specialist Hospital in Czerwona Góra, Poland
⁶Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
⁷Provincial Integrated Hospital in Kielce, Kielce, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Angelika Klaudia Juszczyk, St. Aleksander Hospital in Kielce, Generała Tadeusza Kościuszki 25, 25-316 Kielce, Poland

ABSTRACT

Background: In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of cardiovascular events, highlighting the importance of effective strategies for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. Physical activity (PA) is well known as a protective factor against cardiovascular disease and is one of the most important modifiable factors linked to cardiovascular health. It has been linked to beneficial effects on a number of cardiovascular risk factors and may therefore help to reduce both cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Objective: The aim of this narrative review was to summarize the main cardiovascular effects of physical activity and to assess its role in the prevention and in the management of cardiovascular disease, with a particular focus on its impact on the modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: A narrative literature review was carried out using the PubMed database. The search included articles in English published from 2018 to 2026. Results: Regular physical activity has beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. These include improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, blood pressure, metabolic function, body composition, and other modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. Higher levels of habitual PA are associated with a lower risk of CVD and cardiovascular events, whereas physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are associated with an unfavorable cardiovascular risk profile. Conclusions: PA is an important determinant of cardiovascular health. Its promotion should form an integral part of strategies for prevention of CVD. Increasing habitual physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior may lead to more favorable cardiovascular risk profiles and better long-term cardiovascular outcomes.

Keywords: physical activity, cardiovascular disease, risk factors, prevention, exercise

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e196ms3987

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v30i175.e196ms3987

Published: 29 September 2026