A systematic evaluation of the available evidence suggests similarities as well as important differences in the risk factors for incidence of AF as compared with other cardiovascular diseases , which has implication s for the primary prevention strategies for atrial fibrillation
Established primary prevention strategies of cardiovascular diseases are based on underst and ing of risk factors , but whether the same risk factors are associated with  atrial fibrillation ( AF )  remains unclear .
Paradoxical Association of Lipoprotein Measures With Incident Atrial Fibrillation
Background —Low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) cholesterol is a strong risk factor for atherosclerosis but has an inverse association with atrial fibrillation ( AF ) . We aim ed to provide insight into the paradoxical association of LDL cholesterol with AF by evaluating the relationship of various lipoprotein measures and incident AF . Methods and Results —We prospect ively evaluated lipoprotein measures among 23 738 healthy middle-aged and older women ( median follow-up 16.4 years ; N=795 incident AF events ) .  Baseline LDL cholesterol was directly measured , lipoprotein particle concentrations and size were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy , and apolipoproteins were measured by immunoassay . Cox regression models were adjusted for age , AF risk factors , inflammatory , and dysglycemic biomarkers . After multivariable adjustment , inverse associations with AF were observed ( hazard ratio , 95 % confidence interval for top versus bottom quintile , P value ) for LDL cholesterol ( 0.72 , 0.56–0.92 , P=0.009 ) , the total number of LDL particles ( 0.77 , 0.60–0.99 , P=0.045 ) , and very-low-density lipoprotein particles ( 0.78 , 0.61–0.99 , P=0.04 ) , which was driven by the number of cholesterol-poor small LDL ( 0.78 , 0.61–1.00 , P=0.05 ) and small very-low-density lipoprotein particles ( 0.78 , 0.62–0.99 , P=0.04 ) . By contrast , the larger cholesterol-rich LDL particles and all high-density lipoprotein measures were not associated with AF in multivariable models . Adjustment for inflammatory and dysglycemic biomarkers had minimal impact on these associations . Conclusions —In this prospect i ve study , the inverse association between LDL cholesterol and AF extended to several other atherogenic lipoproteins , and these associations are unlikely to be mediated by direct cholesterol effects . Clinical Trial Registration — Clinical Trials.gov ; Unique Identifier : NCT00000479
A systematic evaluation of the available evidence suggests similarities as well as important differences in the risk factors for incidence of AF as compared with other cardiovascular diseases , which has implication s for the primary prevention strategies for atrial fibrillation
Established primary prevention strategies of cardiovascular diseases are based on underst and ing of risk factors , but whether the same risk factors are associated with  atrial fibrillation ( AF )  remains unclear .