Association Between Statin Use and the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation Following Hospitalization for Coronary Artery Disease

Mounting evidence suggests that statins possess antiarrhythmic properties and inhibit atrial fibrillation (AF). The goal of this study was to evaluate the relation between statin use and new-onset AF in a large cohort of patients with coronary artery disease. We identified all Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 years old who had been hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization from 1995 to 2004 and participated in 1 of 2 government-sponsored medication benefit programs. Patients with a history of AF before and during hospitalization were excluded. This yielded a cohort of 29,088. The incidence of new AF was compared between patients who were (n = 8,450) and were not (n = 20,638) prescribed statins within 1 month of hospital discharge after their cardiac event. New-onset AFs within 5 and 10 years were 32.6% and 51.2%, respectively, in patients who received statins compared to 38.3% and 58.0% in patients who did not receive statins (unadjusted hazard ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.78 to 0.86). Multivariable analysis controlling for demographic and clinical confounders indicated that statin use independently decreased the risk of developing new-onset AF compared to nonusers (adjusted hazard ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 0.94). Adjustment for propensity-score and health-seeking behaviors yielded nearly identical results. In conclusion, statin therapy initiated within 1 month after hospital discharge is independently associated with a decrease in the risk of new-onset AF after myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization. These findings lend support to the antiarrhythmic effects of statins and suggest another benefit for their use in patients with coronary artery disease.