About this Research Topic

Background

Given the substantial increase in the ageing population at a global scale in decades to come, western societies are facing a surge in cost for the management of chronic conditions, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs); the number one culprit for morbidity and mortality.

Owing to the considerable attention gained over the previous decades, research in the field of exercise-based interventions for the prevention and management of CVD have prompted the development of several paradigms and protocols for applications to specific cardiovascular conditions (such as hypertension, heart failure, diabetes mellitus); this has ultimately led to the successful development of specific guidelines aimed at these CVDs.

The implementation and adoption of these guidelines for primary and secondary prevention of CVDs in clinical practice remains limited by a series of barriers, despite the fact it represents a potential strategy for the reduction of such burden. For example, limited multidisciplinary research, doctors’ inertia to physical activity prescriptions, and patients’ resistance to physical activity adherence all contribute to the barriers in exercise-based interventions aimed at CVD prevention and management.

In particular, healthy lifestyles including physical activity and exercise must be enforced amongst the general population, with the intent to reduce the risk of several adverse health outcomes and risk factors in all ages and sexes. Furthermore, the impact of physical activity as a rehabilitation methodology in patients that have previously experienced major cardiovascular events (including myocardial infarction, kidney failure, and stroke) is pivotal for the reduction of other therapeutic interventions, ultimately facilitating optimal patient management.

New frontiers are being continually developed through the interdisciplinary approach combining sports medicine with cardiovascular research, such as the applications of mobile/wearable technologies to not only promote nutrition and physical activity amongst individuals, but to ultimately promote healthy lifestyles.

In this Research Topic, led by experts in this field, we will accept manuscripts within this area of research, with the purpose to provide readers a comprehensive overview on the current and emerging exercise-based interventions for the prevention, management, and treatment of cardiovascular risk factors and CVD. This article collection will also emphasise the importance of collaborative interdisciplinary efforts between sports medicine and cardiovascular medicine to ultimately improve cardiovascular health in patients.

Keywords: healthy lifestyles, physical activity, exercise, Cardiovascular Risk, Cardiovascular Disease, multimorbidity

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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