The cardiac benefits of exercise have been recognized for centuries. Studies have undisputedly shown that regular exercise is beneficial for the cardiovascular system in young, old, healthy and diseased populations. For these reasons, physical activity has been recommended worldwide for cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment. Although the benefits of exercise are clear, understanding of the molecular triggers that orchestrate these effects remains incomplete and has been a topic of intense research in recent years. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the cardiac effects of physical activity, beginning with a brief history of exercise in cardiovascular medicine and then discussing seminal work on the physiological effects of exercise in healthy, diseased and aged hearts. Later, we revisit pioneering work on the molecular mechanisms underlying the cardiac benefits of exercise, and we conclude with our view on the translational potential of this knowledge as a powerful platform for cardiovascular disease drug discovery.

几个世纪以来，人们就认识到运动对心脏的益处。毫无疑问，研究表明，经常运动对年轻人，老人，健康和患病人群的心血管系统都是有益的。由于这些原因，全世界都建议进行体育锻炼来预防和治疗心血管疾病。尽管运动的好处是显而易见的，但对构成这些作用的分子触发因素的理解仍不完全，并且近年来已成为研究的热点。在这里，我们对体育活动的心脏影响进行了全面的回顾，首先简要介绍了心血管医学运动的历史，然后讨论了健康，患病和老年心脏运动对生理影响的开创性工作。后来，