AUTHOR=Fernandez Dawn M. , Clemente Jose C. , Giannarelli Chiara TITLE=Physical Activity, Immune System, and the Microbiome in Cardiovascular Disease JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology VOLUME=9 YEAR=2018 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.00763 DOI=10.3389/fphys.2018.00763 ISSN=1664-042X ABSTRACT=

Cardiovascular health is a primary research focus, as it is a leading contributor to mortality and morbidity worldwide, and is prohibitively costly for healthcare. Atherosclerosis, the main driver of cardiovascular disease, is now recognized as an inflammatory disorder. Physical activity (PA) may have a more important role in cardiovascular health than previously expected. This review overviews the contribution of PA to cardiovascular health, the inflammatory role of atherosclerosis, and the emerging evidence of the microbiome as a regulator of inflammation.