Brisk walking may reduce heart failure risk in older women
New York Older women who find it difficult to hit the gym or follow a workout routine may now ward off their risk of developing heart failure by taking brisk walks, finds a study. Heart failure—a condition in which the heart becomes too weak to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs—rises with age The study found that women above 60 years of age were three times more prone to heart failure risk. The paper presented in at the American College of Cardiology's 67th Annual Scientific Session, noted that post-menopausal women who walk for 40 minutes or more at a time had a 21 to 25 per cent lower risk of heart failure than those taking shorter walks Women walking at an average or fast pace showed a 26 and 38 per cent lower risk of heart failure, respectively, compared with women who walked at a casual pace. "We already know that physical activity lowers the risk of heart failure, but there may be a misconception that simply walking isn't enough," said...