Blood lipid levels, lipid-lowering medications, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study

Background-Several cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Limited and inconsistent evidence exists on the association of blood lipid levels and lipid-lowering medication use with AF risk. Methods and Results-We analyzed 13 969 participants (25% Af...

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Main Authors: Lopez, F., Agarwal, S., MacLehose, R., Soliman, E., Sharrett, A., Huxley, Rachel, Konety, S., Ballantyne, C., Alonso, A.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2012
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39973
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author Lopez, F.
Agarwal, S.
MacLehose, R.
Soliman, E.
Sharrett, A.
Huxley, Rachel
Konety, S.
Ballantyne, C.
Alonso, A.
author_facet Lopez, F.
Agarwal, S.
MacLehose, R.
Soliman, E.
Sharrett, A.
Huxley, Rachel
Konety, S.
Ballantyne, C.
Alonso, A.
author_sort Lopez, F.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background-Several cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Limited and inconsistent evidence exists on the association of blood lipid levels and lipid-lowering medication use with AF risk. Methods and Results-We analyzed 13 969 participants (25% African American, 45% men) free of AF at baseline from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Fasting high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), triglycerides, and total cholesterol were measured at baseline (1987-1989) and each of 3 follow-up visits. The incidence of AF was ascertained through 2007. The association of the use of statins and other lipid-lowering medications with AF was estimated in 13 044 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities participants attending visit 2 (1990 -1992), adjusting for covariates from the previous visit. During a median follow-up of 18.7 years, there were 1433 incident AF cases. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs of AF associated with a 1-SD increase in lipid levels were as follows: HDLc, 0.97 (0.91-1.04); LDLc, 0.90 (0.85- 0.96); total cholesterol, 0.89 (0.84-0.95); and triglycerides, 1.00 (0.96 -1.04). Participants taking lipid-lowering medications had an adjusted HR (95% CI) of AF of 0.96 (0.82-1.13) compared with those not taking medications, whereas those taking statins had an adjusted HR of 0.91 (0.66 -1.25) compared with those taking other lipid-lowering medications. Conclusions-Higher levels of LDLc and total cholesterol were associated with a lower incidence of AF. However, HDLc and triglycerides were not independently associated with AF incidence. No association was found between the use of lipid-lowering medications and incident AF. © 2012 American Heart Association, Inc.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-399732017-09-13T15:06:35Z Blood lipid levels, lipid-lowering medications, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study Lopez, F. Agarwal, S. MacLehose, R. Soliman, E. Sharrett, A. Huxley, Rachel Konety, S. Ballantyne, C. Alonso, A. Background-Several cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Limited and inconsistent evidence exists on the association of blood lipid levels and lipid-lowering medication use with AF risk. Methods and Results-We analyzed 13 969 participants (25% African American, 45% men) free of AF at baseline from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Fasting high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), triglycerides, and total cholesterol were measured at baseline (1987-1989) and each of 3 follow-up visits. The incidence of AF was ascertained through 2007. The association of the use of statins and other lipid-lowering medications with AF was estimated in 13 044 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities participants attending visit 2 (1990 -1992), adjusting for covariates from the previous visit. During a median follow-up of 18.7 years, there were 1433 incident AF cases. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs of AF associated with a 1-SD increase in lipid levels were as follows: HDLc, 0.97 (0.91-1.04); LDLc, 0.90 (0.85- 0.96); total cholesterol, 0.89 (0.84-0.95); and triglycerides, 1.00 (0.96 -1.04). Participants taking lipid-lowering medications had an adjusted HR (95% CI) of AF of 0.96 (0.82-1.13) compared with those not taking medications, whereas those taking statins had an adjusted HR of 0.91 (0.66 -1.25) compared with those taking other lipid-lowering medications. Conclusions-Higher levels of LDLc and total cholesterol were associated with a lower incidence of AF. However, HDLc and triglycerides were not independently associated with AF incidence. No association was found between the use of lipid-lowering medications and incident AF. © 2012 American Heart Association, Inc. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39973 10.1161/CIRCEP.111.966804 unknown
spellingShingle Lopez, F.
Agarwal, S.
MacLehose, R.
Soliman, E.
Sharrett, A.
Huxley, Rachel
Konety, S.
Ballantyne, C.
Alonso, A.
Blood lipid levels, lipid-lowering medications, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study
title Blood lipid levels, lipid-lowering medications, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study
title_full Blood lipid levels, lipid-lowering medications, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study
title_fullStr Blood lipid levels, lipid-lowering medications, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study
title_full_unstemmed Blood lipid levels, lipid-lowering medications, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study
title_short Blood lipid levels, lipid-lowering medications, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study
title_sort blood lipid levels, lipid-lowering medications, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39973