The more steps you take, the better your heart health

People with heart failure who take more steps daily have improved health associated with fewer painful symptoms and physical limitations. Walking 2,000 steps more than usual can bring many benefits, according to experts from the US who published their study in the journal JACC: Heart Failure.

The team analyzed data from wearable devices that tracked the number of steps taken - the information was obtained from 425 heart failure patients. The scientists then compared this data with the symptoms and physical limitations of the participants - which the subjects reported in a special questionnaire on cardiomyopathy.

It turned out that the more people took steps, the better they felt. In those who initially walked more than others, the positive effect was more pronounced by the end of the study. And also those who increased their number of steps by an average of 2,000 during follow-up, compared to baseline, showed fewer negative symptoms associated with their disease. 

Consumer wearable gadgets are increasingly being used in clinical practice as tools for interpreting functional and activity measures, and mobile medical technology is being used to collect data and evaluate results in trials.