Exploring how physical activity can lower heart failure risk in older adults
Official title: Reducing Heart Failure Risk in Late-Life With Physical Activity: Impact on Cardiac Structure and Function and Proteomic Signatures
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11041069 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how staying active can help keep your heart healthy and lower the chances of heart failure as you get older, and it involves older adults who will participate in exercise programs while we check their heart health and look at blood samples to understand how exercise benefits the heart.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | February 21, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $195,480 |
| NIH project number | 5K23HL168152-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11041069 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults who are sedentary and at high risk for heart failure.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are already physically active or have existing heart conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how engaging in physical activity can positively influence heart health and reduce the risk of heart failure in older adults. The study aims to uncover the biological mechanisms behind these benefits by analyzing blood samples for proteins that change with physical activity. Participants will be involved in structured physical activity interventions, and their heart function and overall health will be monitored over time. The goal is to identify specific biological pathways that can be targeted for future heart failure prevention strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing heart failure in older adults through tailored physical activity programs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that physical activity can improve heart health, but this study aims to explore new biological pathways, making it a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hegde, Sheila — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Hegde, Sheila
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.