Smoking cessation lowers risk of AFib

Smoking cessation can significantly reduce a person’s risk of developing atrial fibrillation compared to those who continue smoking.

Researchers reported this finding on Sept. 11 in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology.

“The findings provide a compelling new reason to show current smokers that it’s not too late to quit and that having smoked in the past doesn’t mean you’re ‘destined’ to develop AFib,” said senior author Gregory Marcus, MD, MAS, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco. “Even for the current and longtime smoker, AFib can still be avoided.”

Prior research strongly suggests that smoking increases the risk of developing AFib. In relation to this risk, the benefit of quitting smoking has been less clear. The primary purpose of this new study was to establish whether quitting smoking could lower the risk of developing AFib.

The team analyzed data from the UK Biobank, which included records on 146,772 current and former smokers. Of these subjects, 37,377 (25.5%) currently smoked, 105,429 (72.0%) were former smokers and 3,966 (2.7%) quit smoking during the study.

Over a mean 12.7 years of follow-up, 11,214 (7.6%) of the subjects developed AFib. Compared to current smokers, the risk of developing AFib was 13% lower in former smokers and 18% lower in those who quit smoking during the study, suggesting that the benefit can emerge soon after smoking cessation.

The authors concluded, “Compared to those who continue to smoke, smoking cessation was associated with a lower risk of AFib.”

“While the current study is also observational, our findings lend credence to the idea that smoking may truly cause AFib.” Marcus added.