Heart failure is a major killer in the United States, taking some 610,000 lives a year. Unfortunately, breakthroughs in the treatment of heart failure are few and far between.

But that doesn’t mean no progress is being made. The third World Congress on Acute Heart Failure, which was held recently, indicated that inroads are being made in helping patients with weakened hearts live longer and better.

In fact, one of the key things that heart failure patients can do is to exercise, the conference related. An Italian research team presented a study that showed heart failure patients who exercised were admitted to the hospital less often and had a better quality of life.

This shows that living a heart-healthy lifestyle can make a huge positive impact on heart failure.

In fact, after reviewing 50 studies, the researchers found that patients who exercised had an 18 percent lower risk of dying and an 11 percent risk of repeat hospitalization, as compared to those who did not.

People with heart failure shouldn’t be afraid to exercise. They should work with their doctor, or enroll in a cardiac rehabilitation program to find out what is the best exercise for them to do.