Strong legs could be a defense against heart failure post-heart attack, according to a study by the European Society of Cardiology. Heart attacks often lead to heart failure, but those with sturdy leg muscles, particularly quadriceps, might be better off.
The study, carried out on 932 patients who suffered an acute heart attack between 2007 and 2020, found a link between increased leg strength and decreased risk of heart failure. Participants, mostly male with an average age of 66, did not have heart failure prior to or during their hospital stay.
The team gauged leg strength via maximal quadriceps contractions, measuring each leg’s strength and then averaging the values. They further adjusted this relative to each patient’s body weight, allowing them to categorize patients as having either high or low leg strength.
Data showed that high leg strength was linked to a 41% reduced risk of heart failure. For every 5% increment in leg strength, the likelihood of heart failure dropped by 11%.
Researcher Kensuke Ueno suggests that the simple measurement of quadriceps strength could help identify higher-risk patients, warranting more intensive monitoring. While the findings need further validation, they could advocate for strength training post-heart attack. The study was presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s Heart Failure 2023 Congress.
