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Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte

Print version ISSN 1517-8692


TEODORO, Bruno Gonzaga; NATALI, Antônio José; FERNANDES, Sílvio Anderson Toledo  and  PELUZIO, Maria do Carmo Gouveia. The aerobic physical exercise intensity influence on the atherosclerotic process. Rev Bras Med Esporte [online]. 2010, vol.16, n.5, pp. 382-387. ISSN 1517-8692.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic-degenerative inflammatory process that occurs in blood vessels and is characterized by accumulation of lipids, of inflammatory cells and fibrosis factors on the vessels walls. The (LDL-c) oxidation seems to be the main event to trigger atherosclerosis. Aerobic exercise improves the organic system defense against atherosclerosis by decreasing oxidative stress and increasing anti-oxidant enzyme biosynthesis, improving blood vessels vasodilatation by nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), decreasing the pro-inflammatory cytokine production and increasing anti-inflammatory factors. However, acute high intensity aerobic exercises increase the cardiovascular event risk and its chronic type may affect either positively or negatively in the prevention of atherosclerosis.

Keywords : Aerobic exercise; atherosclerosis; exercise intensity.

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