High Resting Heart Rate Spells Trouble for Women - Study Finds It Raises Risk Of Heart Attack, While Expert Notes Exercise Best Antidote

“Physical activity is the key element in prevention for these women, said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women and heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. ‘It's the same as in an athlete who is well-conditioned,’ Steinbaum said. ‘When you exercise, you increase the tone of the autonomic nervous system, which causes a decrease in heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure.’ The autonomic nervous system controls such basic body functions as blood pressure and digestion. ‘Exercise is the most potent medication we have for improving autonomic function,’ Steinbaum said. ‘If we say that exercise is essential, we know why a lower resting heart rate leads to a better outcome.’”

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/hscout/2009/02/04/hscout623767.html