High Intensity Exercise – Friend or Foe?

Exercise is of paramount importance for health and well-being. Repeatedly it has been shown that exercise reduces the incidence and severity of numerous pathologies such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cerebrovascular events and malignancy. Even in the sickest of patients appropriate tailored physical activity has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, high intensity exercise also has potential hazards, and high intensity activity in a healthy population has been linked to clinically adverse events by a number of large studies. Better understanding of the association of exercise and clinical events attributed to physical activity is crucial, especially these days as the rates of high intensity activity in the general population is rising. An overview of cardiovascular risks and high intensity exercise will be presented. A number of important reviews will be summarized highlighting practical clinical issues.