[Physical exercise and vascular endothelium].

Physical exercise has positive effects at patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. These benefits are explained not only by the action upon the cardiovascular risk factors, but also by the improvement of the endothelial dysfunction. Physical exercise has vasodilator, antiplatelet, antioxidative, antiadhesive, antiproliferative and antiapoptotic effects upon the vascular endothelium. It improves the endothelium-mediated vasodilation in coronarian and peripheral beds in coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and also at sedentary and smokers, thus exerting a vasculoprotective action against atherosclerotic disease.