New Zealand researcher says asthmatics can safely exercise

• Wellington: Contrary to popular belief that regular exercise worsens asthmatic symptoms, a new review of studies published in the current issue of The Cochrane Library has found that exercise improves cardiopulmonary (relating to heart and the lungs) fitness in people with asthma.
• "It's safe for patients with asthma to exercise regularly.
• In our study, those who did showed an increased ability to take up oxygen.
• They improved their ventilation, which led to improved cardiopulmonary fitness.
• We found no evidence to suggest that regular exercise worsens asthmatic symptoms.
• There's no reason for people with asthma to avoid regular physical activity," said lead reviewer Dr. Felix S.F. Ram of Massey University in New Zealand.
• The review combines results from 13 studies, which together involved 455 participants above age 8 who had asthma.
• A significant effect occurred with physical training on four measures: maximum ventilation the patient can achieve, maximal oxygen uptake, work capacity and maximum heart rate.
• Exercise did not bring about a significant effect in other measures such as expiratory air-flow rate, expiratory volume and days of wheezing.
• The researchers found no usable data on bronchodilator drug usage, exercise endurance, walking distance or quality of life.
• "Achieving a normal lifestyle are realistic goals for most people with asthma.
• Normal exercise tolerance is an important element of this.
• Regular exercise will improve muscle efficiency and the amount of work that can be done with a specific effort.
• It will not take away the airways' reactivity that causes exercise-induced asthma (or EA).
• However there are good medications that can prevent EA," said Dr. Gail Shapiro, a professor with the University of Washington School of Medicine.
• Ram concluded that clinicians should encourage patients with asthma to exercise regularly.