Physical activity lowers stroke, death in AFib

Kristoffer Johansen and colleagues reported on August 5 that physical activity was associated with lower risks of stroke and death in adults with atrial fibrillation, adding population-level evidence to a question that has had limited long-term data. The findings were published in the *Journal of the American Heart Association* and were also described in an American Heart Association summary carried by News-Medical. The analysis drew on two large Norwegian cohorts — the HUNT Study and the Tromsø Study — and compared outcomes across different activity levels. The paper was observational, meaning it identified associations rather than proving that exercise itself caused the lower risks. ### Which patients were included in the study? The study included 87,340 participants from Norway, including 6,539 people with atrial fibrillation, according to the journal article. Researchers used national health registries to collect information on atrial fibrillation, stroke and death, then grouped participants as inactive or having low, moderate or high physical activity based on questionnaire responses. (ahajournals.org) A median follow-up of 13.5 years produced 3,415 strokes and 7,833 deaths, giving the study a large number of events on which to compare outcomes across activity groups. News-Medical, citing the American Heart Association summary, said the study tracked more than 87,000 adults in Norway for about 15 years. ### How much lower were the risks for people who were active? The journal article reported that low, moderate and high physical activity were associated with 9%, 19% and 18% lower stroke risk, respectively, compared with inactivity. (ahajournals.org) The corresponding reductions in death from any cause were 11%, 18% and 22%. Among people with atrial fibrillation, the authors also estimated longer life expectancy for those who were active. (ahajournals.org) The gains were 0.50 years for low activity, 0.66 years for moderate activity and 1.15 years for high activity, compared with inactivity, the paper said. ### Did the benefit appear only in people without AFib? The researchers said the pattern was similar whether or not a participant had atrial fibrillation. (ahajournals.org) The paper stated that “similar benefits were observed” for stroke and mortality after stratifying by the presence or absence of AF, and the News-Medical report said the benefits were similar regardless of whether a person had AFib. Kristoffer Johansen, a researcher at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and the lead study author, said in the American Heart Association summary that people with AFib appear to be less active than the general population. He said the results indicated that physical activity was associated with a reduced risk of stroke and death in people with and without atrial fibrillation. (ahajournals.org) ### What should readers be careful not to overclaim from this? The authors described the work as an analysis of associations, not a randomized trial of an exercise program. Because participants were classified by questionnaire-based activity levels and not assigned to exercise regimens by researchers, the study cannot by itself show that physical activity directly prevented strokes or deaths. (news-medical.net) The paper’s conclusion was narrower than a treatment claim. The authors said physical activity “may complement current medical treatment strategies” in people with atrial fibrillation, rather than replace standard care. ### How does this fit with current advice on exercise? The American Heart Association summary said the organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week for adults, along with muscle-strengthening activity at least twice a week. (ahajournals.org) The same summary said AFib affected an estimated 10.55 million U.S. adults, or 4.48% of the adult population, based on the association’s 2026 statistics update. The next step for readers who want the underlying details is the full *Journal of the American Heart Association* paper, “Impact of Physical Activity on Stroke and Mortality in Individuals With and Without Atrial Fibrillation: The HUNT Study and the Tromsø Study,” by Johansen and co-authors. (ahajournals.org) (news-medical.net)