The response to the COVID-19 pandemic: With hindsight what lessons can we learn?

The purpose of this paper is to put forward some evidence-based lessons that can be learned from how to respond to a Pandemic that relate to healthy living behaviours (HLB). A 4-step methodology was followed to conduct a narrative review of the literature and to present a professional practice vignette. The narrative review identified 8 lessons: 1) peer review; 2) historical perspectives; 3) investing in resilience and protection; 4) unintended consequences; 5) protecting physical activity; 6) school closures; 7) mental health; and 8) obesity. As in all probability there will be another Pandemic, it is important that the lessons learned over the last three years in relation to HLB are acted upon. Whilst there will not always be a consensus on what to emphasise, it is important that many evidence-based positions are presented. The authors of this paper recognise that this work is a starting point and that the lessons presented here will need to be revisited as new evidence becomes available.

A New Era in Cardiac Rehabilitation Delivery: Research Gaps, Questions, Strategies, and Priorities.

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a guideline-recommended, multidisciplinary program of exercise training, risk factor management, and psychosocial counseling for people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) that is beneficial but underused and with substantial disparities in referral, access, and participation. The emergence of new virtual and remote delivery models has the potential to improve access to and participation in CR and ultimately improve outcomes for people with CVD. Although data suggest that new delivery models for CR have safety and efficacy similar to traditional in-person CR, questions remain regarding which participants are most likely to benefit from these models, how and where such programs should be delivered, and their effect on outcomes in diverse populations. In this review, we describe important gaps in evidence, identify relevant research questions, and propose strategies for addressing them. We highlight 4 research priorities: (1) including diverse populations in all CR research; (2) leveraging implementation methodologies to enhance equitable delivery of CR; (3) clarifying which populations are most likely to benefit from virtual and remote CR; and (4) comparing traditional in-person CR with virtual and remote CR in diverse populations using multicenter studies of important clinical, psychosocial, and cost-effectiveness outcomes that are relevant to patients, caregivers, providers, health systems, and payors. By framing these important questions, we hope to advance toward a goal of delivering high-quality CR to as many people as possible to improve outcomes in those with CVD.

Physical Activity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness as Modulators of Health Outcomes: A Compelling Research-Based Case Presented to the Medical Community.

The beneficial health effects and prognostic significance of regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA), increased cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), or both are often underappreciated by the medical community and the patients they serve. Individuals with low CRF have higher annual health care costs, higher rates of surgical complications, and are two to three times more likely to die prematurely than their fitter counterparts when matched for risk factor profile or coronary calcium score. Increased levels of habitual PA before hospitalization for acute coronary syndromes are also associated with better short-term cardiovascular outcomes. Accordingly, this review examines these relations and the potential underlying mechanisms of benefit (eg, exercise preconditioning), with specific reference to the incidence of cardiovascular, cancer, and coronavirus diseases, and the prescriptive implications and exercise thresholds for optimizing health outcomes. To assess the evidence supporting or refuting the benefits of PA and CRF, we performed a literature search (PubMed) and critically reviewed the evidence to date. In aggregate, these data are presented in the context of clarifying the impact that regular PA and/or increased CRF have on preventing and treating chronic and infectious diseases, with reference to evidence-based exercise thresholds that the medical community can embrace and promote.

Physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cardiovascular health: A clinical practice statement of the ASPC Part I: Bioenergetics, contemporary physical activity recommendations, benefits, risks, extreme exercise regimens, potential maladaptations.

Regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA) and increased levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) or aerobic capacity are widely promoted as cardioprotective measures in the primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD). Nevertheless, physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors remain a worldwide concern. The continuing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been especially devastating to patients with known or occult CVD since sitting time and recreational PA have been reported to increase and decrease by 28% and 33%, respectively. Herein, in this first of a 2-part series, we discuss foundational factors in exercise programming, with specific reference to energy metabolism, contemporary PA recommendations, the dose-response relationship of exercise as medicine, the benefits of regular exercise training, including the exercise preconditioning cardioprotective phenotype, as well as the CV risks of PA. Finally, we discuss the 'extreme exercise hypothesis,' specifically the potential maladaptations resulting from high-volume, high-intensity training programs, including accelerated coronary artery calcification and incident atrial fibrillation. The latter is commonly depicted by a reverse J-shaped or U-shaped curve. On the other hand, longevity data argue against this relationship, as elite endurance athletes live 3-6 years longer than the general population.

Impact of Social Disparities on Cardiovascular Disease and COVID-19 Outcomes: BARRIERS TO CARE AND PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed significant disparities within certain population subsets that manifest through greater disease burden and worse outcomes. In this commentary, we propose specific preventive interventions to address these disparities within the United States.

Chronic Stress, Exercise and Cardiovascular Disease: Placing the Benefits and Risks of Physical Activity into Perspective.

Chronic stress, which has been exacerbated worldwide by the lingering COVID pandemic, has been strongly linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD). In addition, autonomic dysregulation via sustained sympathetic activity has been shown to increase the risk of arrhythmias, platelet aggregation, acute coronary syndromes and heart failure. Fortunately, effective coping strategies have been shown to attenuate the magnitude of hyperarousal associated with the stress response, including moderate-to-vigorous lifestyle activity and/or structured exercise. A good-to-excellent level of cardiorespiratory fitness also appears to be highly cardioprotective. These beneficial effects have been substantiated by numerous studies that have evaluated the levels of stress reactivity and stress recovery in physically active individuals versus matched sedentary controls, as well as before and after exercise interventions. On the other hand, unaccustomed strenuous exercise in habitually sedentary persons with underlying CVD is associated with a disproportionate incidence of acute cardiac events. Moreover, extreme exercise regimens appear to increase coronary calcification and the likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation. This review summarizes these relations and more, with specific reference to placing the benefits and risks of physical activity into perspective.

Compounders of the COVID crisis: the "perfect storm".

Cultural and societal factors have placed some demographic, racial, and ethnic groups at increased risk of contracting and dying from coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This commentary addresses these population disparities and other potential modulators that negatively impact associated health outcomes in the US population, with specific reference to the need for greater self-responsibility.

Effects of Supervised Exercise-Based Telerehabilitation on Walk Test Performance and Quality of Life in Patients in India With Chronic Disease: Combatting Covid-19.

BACKGROUND: The world is currently undergoing a pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19). According to the World Health Organization, patients with chronic illnesses appear to be at the highest risk for COVID-19 associated sequelae. Inability to participate in outpatient-based rehabilitation programs and being home-bound can increase the risk for and potential worsening of chronic health conditions. This study evaluated the short-term effects of telerehabilitation on patients' walk test performance and health related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS: 47 patients (23 cardiovascular, 15 pulmonary, 9 oncology) participated in the telerehabilitation program. At baseline and following a 1-month intervention, patients had their 6-minute walk test distance (6MWTD) and HRQoL assessed. Average daily step counts were measured by the PACER App. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that a short-term, supervised virtual telerehabilitation program had significant positive effects on 6MWTD and HRQoL in cardiac, pulmonary and oncology patients during COVID-19.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Inflammation, and the Incident Risk of Pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Both inflammation and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are associated with the risk of respiratory infections. To clarify the hypothesis that CRF attenuates the incident risk of pneumonia due to inflammation, we conducted a prospective study examining the independent and joint associations of inflammation and CRF on the risk of pneumonia in a population sample of 2041 middle-aged men. METHODS: Cardiorespiratory fitness was directly measured as peak oxygen uptake (V˙o2peak) during progressive exercise testing to volitional fatigue, and categorized into tertiles. Inflammation was defined by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Pneumonia cases were identified by internal medicine physicians using the International Classification of Diseases codes in clinical practice. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 27 yr, 432 pneumonia cases were recorded. High hsCRP and CRF were associated with a higher risk (HR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.02-1.88) and a lower risk of pneumonia (HR = 0.55; CI, 0.39-0.76) after adjusting for potential confounders, respectively. Compared with normal hsCRP-Fit, moderate to high hsCRP-Unfit had an increased risk of pneumonia (HR = 1.63; CI, 1.21-2.20), but moderate to high hsCRP-Fit was not associated with an increased risk of pneumonia (HR = 1.25; CI, 0.93-1.68). CONCLUSIONS: High CRF attenuates the increased risk of pneumonia due to inflammation. These findings have potential implications for the prevention of respiratory infection characterized by systemic inflammation, such as coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).