Association between exposure to air pollution and incidence of atrial fibrillation

Introduction and Objective. Air pollution is the largest environmental health risk, estimated to cause over 5 million premature deaths per year worldwide, including half a million deaths in Europe. It is associated with significant reductions in healthy life years and worker productivity. It may also be an important endocrine disrupter, contributing to the development of metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus and acute ischaemic/thrombotic cardiovascular events. The aim of the study was to present current knowledge on short- and long-term exposure to air pollution, including particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF).Review Methods. The review was based on data obtained from articles published in the PubMed or related databases, and searching observational studies. Brief description of the state of knowledge. Some of the studies demonstrated a triggering effect of exposure to air pollution on acute exacerbation of atrial fibrillation. Evidence of the long-term effect of air pollution exposure on AF episodes is limited or scarce.Summary. Data indicate that human exposure to air pollution is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. Studies confirmed that further efforts to reduce air pollution exposure should be undertaken to reduce the negative health effects in the general population. To better understand the effect of air pollution on the incidence of AF and related public health impact in the most polluted regions of the world, more high-quality studies are needed.