Authors
Farrell SW. Kampert JB. Kohl HW 3rd. Barlow CE. Macera CA. Paffenbarger
RS Jr. Gibbons LW. Blair SN.
Institution
Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, Dallas, TX 75230, USA.
Title
Influences of cardiorespiratory fitness levels and other
predictors on cardiovascular disease mortality in men.
Source
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 30(6):899-905, 1998 Jun.
Abstract
PURPOSE: This investigation quantifies the relation between cardiorespiratory
fitness levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD)
mortality within strata of other CVD predictors. METHODS:
Participants included 25,341 male Cooper Clinic patients who underwent a
maximal graded exercise test. CVD death rates were determined for low (least
fit one-fifth), moderate (next two-fifths), and high (top two-fifths)
cardiorespiratory fitness categories by strata of smoking
habit, blood cholesterol level, resting blood pressure, and health status.
There were 226 cardiovascular deaths during 211,996 man-years of follow-up.
RESULTS: For individuals with none of the major CVD predictors (smoking,
elevated resting systolic blood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol), there
was a strong inverse relation (P = 0.001) between fitness
level and CVD mortality. An inverse relation between CVD
mortality and fitness level was seen within
strata of cholesterol levels and health status. No evidence of a trend (P =
0.60) for decreased mortality was seen across
fitness levels for individuals with elevated systolic blood
pressure; however, a strong inverse gradient (P < 0.001) was seen across
fitness levels for individuals with normal systolic blood
pressure. There was a tendency for association between high levels of
fitness and decreased CVD mortality in
smokers compared with low and moderately fit smokers (P < 0.076). There was
no significant association between level of fitness and CVD
mortality for individuals with multiple (two or more)
predictors (P = 0.325). Approximately 20% of the 226 CVD deaths in the
population studied were attributed to low fitness level.
CONCLUSIONS: Moderate and high levels of cardiorespiratory
fitness seem to provide some protection from CVD
mortality, even in the presence of well established CVD
predictors.