Relationships between Exercise Training, Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation

Dear Colleagues,

Regular physical activity is an effective measure for maintaining cardiovascular health and for preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. In primary prevention, several studies have shown that exercise training is effective in containing cardiovascular risk factors and delaying the occurrence of organ damage. At the same time, exercise training is a well-established core component of the secondary prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases according to both European and American guidelines. Despite significant progress in the knowledge of cardiovascular effects produced by exercise training, there are still several aspects that remain to be clarified. For example, the best format (including exercise duration, intensity, and modality) of exercise training in the setting of cardiovascular diseases is still to be defined and is a matter of active investigation and debate. The individualization of training tailored to the actual individual’s clinical and functional status has been scanty investigated. There is also room for new studies comparing different exercise protocols and modalities in particular subgroups of patients with cardiovascular diseases (post-menopausal women, very elderly/frail subjects, oncology patients undergoing cardiotoxic chemotherapy, etc.).

 Further research exploring molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptative changes produced by exercise training on cardiovascular system, both in healthy subjects and patients with cardiovascular diseases, is needed. Exercise and lifestyle changes, independently or in combination with each other, influence these processes. Additionally, the mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of physical activity and life style changes, such as nutritional intervention, on human cardiovascular health, have not been well documented yet.

This Special Issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease aims to collect papers reporting the latest findings on topics that include exploring chronic cardiovascular adaptations to exercise training, from the molecular and cellular level to the assessment of integrated systemic responses (autonomic nervous system, hormonal, immunological, etc).

We are happy to receive a range of manuscript types such as original research, reviews, opinions and hypotheses on various topics related to exercise training, lifestyle interventions and cardiovascular rehabilitation. The collection will be open to human, animal and molecular aspects, provided that they are relevant to the physiological mechanisms and/or adaptations related to exercise physiology, exercise therapy and lifestyle interventions.

Prof. Dr. Ferdinando Iellamo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• physical activity
• exercise training
• cardiovascular adaptations
• cardiac rehabilitation
• lifestyle modifications
• health