Researchers look at how pollution, weather, noise, social factors impact AFib

There's a growing recognition of how the environment we live in affects our heart health. Atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder, affects millions worldwide and can lead to serious health problems. While we've studied how genetics and lifestyle play a role in atrial fibrillation, we haven't paid as much attention to how environmental factors might contribute.

Dr. Sadeer Al-Kindi, a Houston Methodist cardiologist, and a team of researchers describe their findings in a Circulation Research review article titled, “Environmental Exposome and Atrial Fibrillation: Emerging Evidence and Future Directions.”

The team examines how things like air pollution, weather, noise, green spaces and social factors might influence atrial fibrillation.