Based upon your previous cardiovascular history, as well as your age, weight, blood pressure, and other medical conditions (such as pulmonary or neurological disease), a physician can tell you whether the initiation of regular exercise is a safe prospect. In general, the less active the patient, and the more strenuous the exercise, the more important it is to get the doctors advice. As for the details of the exercise program, it is usually best for the doctor to refer you to someone who devises and manages them every day: an exercise physiologist. At Cleveland Clinic, I often write my patients an "Exercise Prescription," which permits the exercise physiologist to obtain their history, do a low-level treadmill exercise EKG, and give specific instructions for a structured exercise program.
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