Impact of Smoking on the Atrial Substrate Characteristics in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Cigarette smoking is a common health issue throughout the world. It can cause the development of various major diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),1 most cardiovascular diseases and many types of cancer. Thus, people with a tobacco habit can produce devastating health consequences for themselves. At present, there are about five million people that die annually, which can be attributed to cigarette smoking, and half of those deaths, which are mortalities from smoking, always occur in middle age.2 Therefore, how to reduce cigarette smoking remains the most important work to avoid the causes of health disabilities and premature death.