A programme which got high-risk elderly people exercising vigorously successfully improved the health of their hearts, a conference has been told.
During the programme, people over the age of 65 with type 2 diabetes undertook regular aerobic exercise three times a week for an hour at a time.
As well as diabetes, the participants had high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
Researchers in Canada tested heart health by measuring the stiffness of the arteries. They said participation reduced stiffness by up to 20 per cent.
The findings were reported to the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress at the weekend.
Researcher Dr Kenneth Madden, of the University of British Columbia, said: "There seems to be a knee-jerk reluctance to getting these older adults to exercise yet we used a vigorous level of activity and didn’t have any trouble keeping participants in our study. They enjoyed the activity.
"People always underestimate what older adults can do."
Dr Beth Abramson, of the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, said elderly people could build exercise regimes around activities they enjoy, such as walking, golfing or gardening. And, if kept indoors by poor weather, stair-climbing could help.
* The conference also heard that there may not be as much difference between male and female symptoms of heart attack as is often thought.
A study of more than 300 patients found that both sexes experience arm discomfort, shortage of breath, sweating, nausea and clammy skin.
Researcher Martha Mackay, a cardiac nurse, believes the way men and women communicate their symptoms may explain reports of there being different symptoms.
She said: "Where women are concerned, some extra probing could result in a speedier and more complete diagnosis."
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