France – Exposure to passive smoking, even in small amounts, is linked to an increased risk of developing a serious heart rhythm disorder, according to the results of a new study.
The paper, presented at EHRA 2024, a scientific conference of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), says the likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation increases with the duration of passive smoking.
“The risks of passive smoking were significant regardless of whether individuals were at home, outdoors, or at work, suggesting that overall exposure increases the risk of atrial fibrillation,” explains study author Dr. Kyung-Yoon Lee of Seoul National University Hospital.
He added: “We should all do our best to avoid spending time in smoke-filled environments. “The findings should also prompt policymakers to continue reducing smoking in public places and supporting smoking cessation programs to improve public health.”
Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder worldwide. Symptoms include palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping.
It is well established that passive smoking is linked to coronary artery disease and premature death. However, the links between passive smoking and atrial fibrillation have not been clear.
This study examined the relationship between exposure to passive smoking and the risk of atrial fibrillation in the long term.
The study included people aged 40 to 69 years who used the UK National Health Service (NHS) for any reason and were registered with the UK Biobank.
Current smokers and those with atrial fibrillation at baseline were excluded from the study.
A total of 400,493 adults were included in the analysis. The average age of the participants was 56.5 years, and 55.2% of them were women.
The researchers used a touch-screen questionnaire to ask participants how many hours they were exposed to other people’s smoke in a typical week over the past year, at home and in other environments.
Participants were classified into the “exposed group” if they had any contact with passive smoking and the “unexposed group” if they had no contact with passive smoking.
According to the results, regarding 85,984 (21%) participants had been exposed to passive smoking in the previous year, with an average exposure of 2.2 hours per week.
During a median follow-up of 12.5 years, atrial fibrillation developed in 23,471 (6%) of participants.
The researchers analyzed the relationship between exposure to secondhand smoke and atrial fibrillation following adjusting for factors that might influence the relationship, including age, gender, race, body mass index, daily alcohol consumption, moderate to vigorous physical activity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high blood lipids. Blood, social and economic status.
The group exposed to passive smoking had a 6% higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation during follow-up compared to the non-exposed group following adjusting for the previously mentioned factors.
A dose-dependent relationship was observed, where each increase in the duration of weekly passive smoking was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
For example, passive smoking for 7.8 hours per week was associated with an 11% higher risk of developing a heart rhythm disorder compared to no passive smoking.
Dr. Lee said: “According to our study, once exposed to secondhand smoke, the likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation begins to increase, with the risk escalating significantly as the exposure time is prolonged.” “The finding that passive smoking is harmful not only in enclosed indoor spaces but also in outdoor environments underscores the importance of banning smoking to protect public health.”
Source: Medical Express
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2024-04-08 17:16:35
