The Height as an Independent Risk Factor of Atrial Fibrillation: A Review

Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF) is characterized by abnormal heart rhythm. Among other well-known associations, recent studies suggest an association of AF with height. Height is related to 50 diseases spanning different body systems, AF is one of them. Since AF, a heterogeneous disease process, is influenced by structural, neural, electrical, and hemodynamic factors, height alters this process through its contribution to increasing atria and ventricular size, leading to altered conduction patterns, autonomic dysregulation, and development of AF. Multiple underlying mechanisms associate height with AF. Apart from these indirect mechanisms, genome-wide association studies suggest the involvement of the same genes in AF and growth pathways. Tall stature is independently associated with a higher risk of AF development in healthy individuals. Since adult height is achieved much earlier than the onset of AF, protective measures can be taken in individuals with increased height to monitor, manage, and prevent the progression of AF.