Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Oct 24:23:200344.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijcrp.2024.200344. eCollection 2024 Dec.

Impact of lifestyle risk factors on atrial fibrillation: Mechanisms and prevention approaches - A narrative review

Jasper R Vermeer  1   2 , Johannes L P M van den Broek  1   2 , Lukas R C Dekker  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Impact of lifestyle risk factors on atrial fibrillation: Mechanisms and prevention approaches - A narrative review

Jasper R Vermeer et al. Int J Cardiol Cardiovasc Risk Prev. .

Abstract

Both the development and progression of atrial fibrillation (AF) are affected by a range of modifiable lifestyle risk factors. These key modifiable risk factors encompass obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, alcohol consumption, exercise, sedentary lifestyle and obstructive sleep apnoea. These lifestyle-dependent factors rarely exist in isolation, but rather exist together, exerting a complex influence on the development of AF. This comprehensive review elucidates the interplay and interdependency of these lifestyle factors in the arrhythmogenesis of AF, by exploring their role in AF substrate formation, modulating properties and triggering mechanisms. We emphasize the importance of targeted prevention strategies by discussing available literature on the effectiveness of treatment strategies targeting multiple risk factors. Additionally, the clinical impacts of integrated care, nurse-led care and mobile health are discussed in the context of lifestyle improvement. These management strategies have favourable applicability in both paroxysmal and persistent AF, and are also beneficial for patients receiving AF ablation. Despite the challenges accompanying lifestyle and prevention strategies, substantial benefits are apparent, such as improved quality of life and better ablation outcomes. This review further emphasizes the essential nature of awareness of appropriate lifestyle modifications as fundamental pillars in the management of individuals with AF.

Keywords: Ablation; Atrial fibrillation; Integrated care; Lifestyle; Risk factor management.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Image 1
Graphical abstract: Modifiable lifestyle risk factors in the arrhythmogenesis of atrial fibrillation and their management
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Modifiable risk factors in the arrhythmogenesis of atrial fibrillation. AF, atrial fibrillation; NA, not available.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Interplay of modifiable risk factors in the arrhythmogenesis of atrial fibrillation. DAD, delayed after depolarization; EAD, early after depolarization; ERP, effective refractory period; LV, left ventricle.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Integrated care. AF, atrial fibrillation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Patel N.J., Deshmukh A., Pant S., et al. Contemporary trends of hospitalization for atrial fibrillation in the United States, 2000 through 2010 implications for healthcare planning. Circulation. 2014;129(23):2371–2379. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.008201. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kirchhof P., Camm A.J., Goette A., et al. Early rhythm-control therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation. N. Engl. J. Med. 2020;383(14):1305–1316. doi: 10.1056/nejmoa2019422. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Xue Z., Guo S., Liu X., et al. Impact of COPD or asthma on the risk of atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022;9 doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.872446. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Aune D., Mahamat-Saleh Y., Kobeissi E., Feng T., Heath A.K., Janszky I. Blood pressure, hypertension and the risk of atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Eur. J. Epidemiol. 2023;38(2):145–178. doi: 10.1007/s10654-022-00914-0. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ng C.Y., Liu T., Shehata M., Stevens S., Chugh S.S., Wang X. Meta-analysis of obstructive sleep apnea as predictor of atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation. Am. J. Cardiol. 2011;108(1):47–51. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2011.02.343. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources