How Does Smoking Affect My Risk Of Developing An Abnormal Heart Rhythm?

— -- Question: How does smoking affect my risk of developing an abnormal heart rhythm?

Answer :There's no direct link between smoking and atrial fibrillation, but smoking is clearly one of the most serious risk factors for developing heart disease. And we know that once patients have developed heart disease, heart attack and heart failure, the likelihood of arrhythmias, in particular, atrial fibrillation and more serious arrhythmias such as sudden cardiac arrest rhythms, increase dramatically. So, cigarette smoking is one of the worst things that you can do for the heart.