AHA: Rising Outdoor Temperatures Tied to Higher Risk for Atrial Fibrillation
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Nov. 18, 2024 -- There is a dose-response relationship between rising outdoor temperatures and increased atrial fibrillation (AF) events, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2024, held from Nov. 16 to 18 in Chicago.
Barrak Alahmad, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., from Harvard University in Boston, and colleagues examined the role of emerging environmental risk factors, like extreme heat driven by climate change. The Medtronic Product Surveillance Registry was used to identify 2,313 patients who received a cardioverter-defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator device implant (2016 to 2023) and had an atrial arrhythmic event.
The researchers found significantly fewer AF episodes in the early morning hours (12 to 7 a.m.) compared with normal working hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). There were also significantly fewer AF episodes occurring on Saturday and Sunday versus weekdays. Compared with locally optimal temperatures across the United States (those associated with least odds; between 5 to 8 degrees Celsius), the odds of AF events increased when outdoor temperatures were 39, 40, and 41 degrees Celsius. The models did not improve with lagging temperature exposure. For AF episodes >30 minutes, results were similar.
"This study highlights the urgent need to consider emerging environmental factors, such as climate change-induced heat, in managing and preventing AF," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2024
Read this next
Real-Time AI-Driven Decision Support Aids Catheter Ablation
WEDNESDAY, May 7, 2025 -- An artificial intelligence (AI)-driven model can significantly improve procedural safety in cardiac electrophysiology with real-time decision support...
Faster Walking Pace Cuts Risk for Cardiac Arrhythmias
FRIDAY, April 25, 2025 -- Average and brisk walking pace are associated with a decreased risk for cardiac arrhythmias, according to a study published online April 15 in...
Most Patients Newly Diagnosed With A-Fib Do Not Receive Anticoagulants
WEDNESDAY, April 23, 2025 -- For patients newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) during hospitalization for other causes, most are not dispensed anticoagulants in the year...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.