Workouts "a must" after heart attack

If you have suffered a heart attack, do exercise to speed recovery and further prevent yourself from another cardiac arrest, says a study.

According to Swiss researchers Monday, blood vessel function improved after four weeks of exercise among people who exercised. "The long-term and continuing physical activity is key to preventing another heart attack," the findings suggest.

The Swiss team looked at 209 people who had survived a heart attack to gauge the effects of different types of exercise and what happened when people stopped regular physical activity.

Volunteers were assigned to receive training in aerobic exercise, resistance workouts to build strength, a combination of the two, or no exercise at all.

After four weeks, blood vessel function in the three exercise groups improved regardless of the type of exercise, the researchers said. There were no improvements among the men and women who did not work out.

The researchers also asked some people in the exercise groups to stop physical activity. They found that after one month all the positive benefits of working out had vanished.