The number of people affected by cardiovascular disease is increasing in the
Western world, and it is partially explained by urbanization, industrialization, work
condition and inadequate diet. Cardiovascular disease killed nearly 17 million people in
2011, and of these, 7 million died of ischaemic heart disease and 6.2 million from
stroke [1]. This chapter will focus on the contribution of regular physical exercise for
prevention and reversal of cardiovascular disease, and on the role of renin angiotensin
system (RAS) in these processes. Experimental and clinical studies show that exercise
training is efficient to block RAS overactivity, thus preventing and/or reversing cardiac
dysfunction and deleterious remodeling of the heart in pathological conditions such as
hypertension, myocardial infarction, heart failure and obesity. Indeed, studies show that
the association between RAS inhibition and exercise training can bring major benefits
to individuals with heart disease (especially those with mild, moderate or severe heart
failure) and also cardiometabolic alterations, acting synergically as a successful
combination to the recovery and maintenance of health of these patients.
Keywords: ACE polymorphism, Angiotensin receptors, Barorreflex, Cardiovascular
disease, Central nervous system, Endothelium, Exercise, Hypertension,
Hypothalamus, Nephropathy, Obesity, Oxidative stress, Renin angiotensin
system, VO2.
