PLANES DE ENTRENAMIENTO Y ENFERMEDADES CARDIOVASCULARES EN POBLACIÓN ADULTA: REVISIÓN NARRATIVA 2020-2025

Diana Lucia Vega Diaz; Mauricio Javier  Prada Rozo

doi:10.22490/ECISA.10154

Vol. 8 No. 8 (2026): Vol. 8 Núm. 8 (2026).

Published 2026-03-15

license

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Artículos

EXERCISE TRAINING PROGRAMS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES IN ADULTS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW 2020-2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/ECISA.10154

Diana Lucia Vega Diaz Universidad Manuela Beltran

Mauricio Javier Prada Rozo Universidad Manuela Beltrán

PDF (Spanish)

Abstract
References

Introduction. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of death worldwide. Physical inactivity represents a major modifiable risk factor. In this context, physical exercise has been consolidated as an essential therapeutic tool for the prevention and management of CVD, although questions persist regarding the optimal modalities, intensities, and conditions of prescription in adults.

Objective. To summarize the scientific evidence published between 2020 and 2025 on the effects of different physical training programs in adults with CVD or within prevention programs, considering their components, intensities, physiological mechanisms, safety criteria, and adherence factors.

Methodology. A narrative review with an interpretative and thematic approach was conducted. The databases Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SciELO were consulted, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and systematic review studies, as well as clinical guidelines on non-athlete adult populations published in Spanish and English.
The studies were grouped into the following themes: exercise prescription, intensity, strength training, exercise adherence, physiological mechanisms, and safety.

Results. A total of 24 studies were analyzed, highlighting programs that combine resistance and strength training, which generate significant improvements in cardiorespiratory capacity, vascular function, and quality of life. Exercise intensity and adherence emerged as key determinants of clinical impact. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) was identified as a safe and effective modality when applied in an individualized and supervised manner. Key physiological mechanisms included mitochondrial, anti-inflammatory, and endothelial adaptations.

Conclusions. Physical exercise prescribed in an individualized, progressive, and supervised manner constitutes an effective and safe strategy for the prevention and management of CVD in adult populations. Personalizing exercise intensity and strengthening adherence are essential to maximize clinical benefits.

keywords: ejercicio físico;, entrenamiento;, salud cardiovascular, rehabilitación cardiaca, prevención

Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T

Ambrosetti, M., Abreu, A., Corrà, U., Davos, C. H., Hansen, D., Frederix, I., Iliou, M. C., Pedretti, R. F. E., Schmid, J. P., Völler, H., & Zwisler, A. D. (2021). Secondary prevention through comprehensive cardiovascular rehabilitation: From knowledge to implementation. 2020 update. A position paper from the Secondary Prevention and Rehabilitation Section of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 28(5), 460–495. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487320913379

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). (2021). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Cecilia Enith, R.-B. (2020). Actividad física en el tiempo libre previene enfermedades cardíacas/cardiovasculares: Una revisión sistemática. Revista de Ciencias del Deporte, 16(2), 45–59. https://doi.org/10.24310/riccafd.2020.v9i1.8296

Davoodi, M., & Zaravar, F. (2025). Different intensities of exercise and cardiovascular performance: A review. Galen Medical Journal, 14, e3722. https://doi.org/10.31661/gmj.v14i.3722

Dores, H., Antunes, M., Caldeira, D., & Pereira, H. (2024). Cardiovascular benefits of resistance exercise: It's time to prescribe. Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia, 43(7), 573–582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.repc.2024.02.009

Feuchtner, G. M., Ruf, E., Barbieri, F., Senoner, T., Deeg, J., Scharll, Y., Widmann, G., & Lacaita, P. G. (2025). The influence of high exercise levels on the coronary atherosclerosis profile by computed tomography angiography and outcomes. American Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 23, 101044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpc.2025.101044

Hansen, D., Marinus, N., Cornelissen, V., Ramakers, W., & Coninx, K. (2023). Exercise prescription by physiotherapists to patients with cardiovascular disease is in greater agreement with European recommendations after using the EXPERT training tool. Medical Education Online, 28(1), 2182660. https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2023.2182660

Kirkman, D. L., Lee, D.-C., & Carbone, S. (2022). Resistance exercise for cardiac rehabilitation: A review. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 70, 66–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2022.01.004

Kunutsor, S. K., & Laukkanen, J. A. (2024). Physical activity, exercise and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease: A narrative review. Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy, 22(1–3), 91–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/14779072.2024.2328644

Martinez, M. W., Kim, J. H., Shah, A. B., Phelan, D., Emery, M. S., Wasfy, M. M., Fernandez, A. B., Bunch, T. J., Dean, P., Danielian, A., Krishnan, S., Baggish, A. L., Eijsvogels, T. M. H., Chung, E. H., & Levine, B. D. (2021). Exercise-induced cardiovascular adaptations and approach to exercise and cardiovascular disease. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 78(14), 1453–1470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.08.003

Milani, J. G. P. O., Milani, M., Cipriano, G. F. B., Hansen, D., & Cipriano, G. (2023). Exercise intensity domains determined by heart rate at the ventilatory thresholds in patients with cardiovascular disease: New insights and comparisons to cardiovascular rehabilitation prescription recommendations. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 9, e001601. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001601

Mounsey, L. A., Guo, M., Lau, E. S., & Ho, J. E. (2025). Exercise training in heart failure: Clinical benefits and mechanisms. Circulation Research, 137, 273–289. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.325533

Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). (2023). Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) – Key facts. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)

Pandey, A., Pandey, A. S., Bonsignore, A., Auclair, A., & Poirier, P. (2023). Impact of yoga on global cardiovascular risk as an add-on to a regular exercise regimen in patients with hypertension. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 39(1), 57–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2022.09.019

Pineda-García, A. D., Lara-Vargas, J. A., Ku-González, A., Lastra-Silva, V. J., Arteaga, R., & Pineda-Juárez, J. A. (2021). Safety and improvement in exercise tolerance with interval training vs moderate-intensity continuous training in heart disease patients of very high cardiovascular risk. Archivos de Cardiología de México, 91(2), 149–155. https://doi.org/10.24875/ACME.M21000194

Sabbahi, A., Arena, R., Guazzi, M., & Myers, J. (2022). Exercise training in cardiac rehabilitation: Setting the right intensity for optimal benefit. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 70, 58–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2022.02.001

Sallis, J. F., Owen, N., & Fisher, E. B. (2021). Ecological models of health behavior. En K. Glanz, B. K. Rimer, & K. Viswanath (Eds.), Health behavior: Theory, research, and practice (6th ed., pp. 43–64). Jossey-Bass.

Terada, T., Hausen, M., Way, K. L., O’Neill, C. D., Marçal, I. R., Dorian, P., & Reed, J. L. (2025). Wearable devices for exercise prescription and physical activity monitoring in patients with various cardiovascular conditions. CJC Open, 7(6), 695–706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjco.2025.02.017

Valenzuela, P. L., Ruilope, L. M., Santos-Lozano, A., Wilhelm, M., Kränkel, N., Fiuza-Luces, C., & Lucia, A. (2023). Exercise benefits in cardiovascular diseases: from mechanisms to clinical implementation. European heart journal, 44(21), 1874–1889. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad170

Verdicchio, C., Freene, N., Hollings, M., Maiorana, A., Briffa, T., Gallagher, R., Hendriks, J. M., Abell, B., Brown, A., Colquhoun, D., Howden, E., Hansen, D., Reading, S., & Redfern, J. (2023). A clinical guide for assessment and prescription of exercise and physical activity in cardiac rehabilitation: A CSANZ position statement. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 32(7), 1035–1048. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlc.2023.06.854

Wu, C., Chen, X., Yang, L., Sun, H., Bao, S., Li, H., Zheng, L., Zeng, H., Li, R., & Peng, Y. (2024). Exercise Mediates Noncoding RNAs in Cardiovascular Diseases: Pathophysiological Roles and Clinical Application. Expert reviews in molecular medicine, 27, e2. https://doi.org/10.1017/erm.2024.25

Zhang, H., Zhang, Y., Zhang, J., & Jia, D. (2024). Exercise alleviates cardiovascular diseases by improving mitochondrial homeostasis. Journal of the American Heart Association, 13, e036555. https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.124.036555

Zhu, L.-Y., Li, M.-Y., Li, K.-H., Yang, X., Yang, Y.-Y., Zhao, X.-X., Yan, T., Li, M.-M., Luo, S.-Q., Zhang, M.-L., & Su, J.-Z. (2022). Effect of exercise prescription implementation rate on cardiovascular events. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 8, 753672. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2021.753672

license

How to Cite

Vega Diaz, D. L., & Prada Rozo, M. J. . (2026). EXERCISE TRAINING PROGRAMS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES IN ADULTS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW 2020-2025. Documentos De Trabajo ECISA, 8(8). https://doi.org/10.22490/ECISA.10154

Download Citation

Almétricas