Eur J Prev Cardiol

Walking more, walking faster tied to recuced CV risks in patients with hypertension

August 20, 2025

Study details: This prospective cohort study analyzed data from 36,192 adults (mean age, 64 years; 48% male) with hypertension enrolled in the UK Biobank accelerometry sub-study. Participants wore wrist accelerometers for seven days to measure daily step count and stepping intensity (peak 30-minute cadence). Participants were followed for a mean of 7.8 years for incident MACE, including heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke.

Results: A non-linear inverse dose-response relationship was observed: every additional 1,000 steps/day (up to 10,000) was associated with a 17.1% reduction in overall MACE risk (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.2-23.2), 22.4% for HF (95% CI, 11.0-31.7), 24.5% for stroke (95% CI, 5.3-39.0), and 9.3% for MI (95% CI, -2.8 to 19.6). Higher stepping intensity further amplified these benefits. Associations were similar in hypertensive and normotensive individuals, except for MI, where the effect was attenuated.

Clinical impact: Targeting incremental increases can yield substantial reductions in MACE, especially stroke and HF. Step-based activity goals should be integrated into hypertension management, with emphasis on both volume and intensity for optimal benefit.

Source:

Cheng SWM, et al. (2025, August 6). Eur J Prev Cardiol. Prospective associations of daily step count and stepping intensity with overall and type-specific major adverse cardiovascular events in people with hypertension. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40795029/