Helping Your Heart Online Manual Skip section navigation Helping Your Heart Your heart and types of heart problems Healthy living Risk factors Medicines Nutrition Exercise Emotional issues Just for family and friends Resources Order a printed copy of this manual: Helping Your Heart by Allina Patient Education Find a Provider -- All regions -- ---------- Minneapolis St Paul NE metro NW metro SE metro SW metro Central North South West Heart disease care specialties: Cardiovascular disease ? Cardiovascular disease Cardiologists are doctors who identify and treat problems with the heart and blood vessels. They can help you manage cardiac conditions like heart failure. Cardiovascular disease - pediatric ? Cardiovascular disease - pediatric Pediatric cardiologists are doctors who identify and treat heart problems in children. Family medicine ? Family medicine A family doctor can help you with general health needs and refer you to a specialist when needed. Geriatric medicine ? Geriatric medicine These doctors know the aging process and how it affects the heart. Internal medicine ? Internal medicine These doctors can help you manage common and complex conditions. Thoracic surgery ? Thoracic surgery Thoracic surgeons have special training to perform operations on the heart, blood vessels and lungs. Need more search options? Try our Provider finder Allina services Care Navigation Help Desk Heart healthy living programs Pharmacies Women's Heart Centers Related resources Be prepared Eat healthy Get fit Heart disease support groups Calculators & tools Heart health and stroke risk assessments BMI, calories & weight Aerobic exercise Aerobic exercise is rhythmic, repetitive activity such as walking, swimming and biking that continues for up to 30 minutes. This type of exercise restores a steady supply of oxygen to your muscles. Tip In addition to how aerobic exercise can help your heart, it may also: decrease cardiovascular symptoms decrease heart muscle oxygen demand and decrease your risk for a heart attack reduce body fat. Benefits of aerobic exercise Aerobic exercise helps your heart to work more efficiently by: toning your heart muscle stimulating circulation through the coronary arteries and peripheral vascular system and enhancing circulation improving cardiovascular endurance (how long) improving cardiovascular tolerance (how much).

Source: Allina Patient Education, Helping Your Heart, fourth edition, cvs-ahc-90648 First published: 10/04/2002 Last updated: 06/01/2007 Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts     Health e-newsletters | | HON certified Contact us | Privacy | Terms of use | Disclaimer | Accessibility | En Español This site is presented for information only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. Allina®, the Allina logo, and Medformation® are registered trademarks of Allina Health System. Presentation and Design ©2010 Allina Health System. All Rights Reserved.