Smokers who make the decision to quit will experience immediate health benefits, including a rapid reduction in their risk of atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), according to new research published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. The study, conducted by Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, offers compelling evidence for smokers to quit, showing that it’s never too late to avoid the damaging effects of smoking on heart health.

Dr. Marcus, the senior author of the study, emphasized that A-Fib can be prevented even in individuals who have smoked for years. "The findings provide a compelling new reason to show current smokers that it’s not too late to quit, and that having smoked in the past doesn’t mean you’re ‘destined’ to develop A-Fib," Marcus explained. "Even for the current and longtime smoker, A-Fib can still be avoided."

What is Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib)?

"There’s strong evidence that smoking increases the risk of A-Fib," Marcus said. "But the benefits of quitting smoking have been less certain." With this in mind, his team sought to determine whether quitting could significantly lower a person’s risk of developing A-Fib, or if the risk would remain the same.

The research team analyzed data from over 146,700 current and former smokers, tracking their smoking habits and health over a 12-year period using data from the UK Biobank database. The results were promising: former smokers had a 13% lower risk of developing A-Fib compared to current smokers, while those who quit during the study saw an 18% reduction in their risk.

"This is likely a testament to the potency of reducing atrial fibrillation risk pretty shortly after quitting," Marcus said in a statement from the American College of Cardiology.

The findings highlight the importance of quitting smoking, not only for general health but specifically for reducing the risk of serious heart conditions like A-Fib.

Tips for Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of A-Fib and improve overall heart health. While it can be challenging, the benefits of quitting are clear and immediate. Here are some tips to help you quit smoking successfully:

1. Choose a specific date to quit smoking and stick to it. Prepare yourself mentally and physically for this change.

2. Reach out to family, friends, or a support group to help keep you accountable. Sharing your goals with others can provide encouragement.

3. Options like nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges can help ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.

4. Identify situations that make you want to smoke, such as stress or social gatherings, and find healthy ways to cope with them.

5. Regular exercise can help distract you from cravings and improve your mood during the quitting process.

6. Drinking water can help flush nicotine out of your system faster, reducing cravings.

7. Activities like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises can help manage stress, a common trigger for smoking.

Quitting smoking offers immediate and significant benefits, particularly in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation. The latest research provides smokers with more motivation to quit, showing that it's never too late to take control of their heart health.

Retatrutide, an experimental loss drug being called the 'Godzilla' of weight loss jabs, has been reported to cause 129 symptoms, including burning sensation on skin, panic attack, a racing heartbeat and depression. It earned the nickname after clinical trials indicated that it could be more powerful than Ozempic and Mounjaro.

The discovery has raised concerns, especially amid the growing use of the drug outside clinical trials. Retatrutide is still being studied and has not yet been approved for general use but it is being bought illegally in the UK as well as across the world.

Study Identifies 129 Serious Symptoms

According to Daily Mail, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, analysed 148,640 Reddit posts related to retatrutide and identified 13,589 users who claimed to be taking retatrutide and analysed the side effects they reported. Of these, 7,823 reported at least one side effect, researchers identified 129 different symptoms.

The reports included physical symptoms as well as psychological complaints. But it does not prove that this weight loss drug is directly responsible for these side effects. The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

Social media reports can help identify safety concerns, but they have limitations. Researchers cannot independently verify every user’s medical history, the product they took, its ingredients or whether another condition could explain their symptoms.

The side effects were split into 14 different categories, including gastrointestinal problems, mental disorders, heart problems and skin changes. The most common side effect was increased appetite surprisingly which was seen in almost one in five users, affecting 1,336 people.

Fatigue was the second most reported symptom, which was flagged by around 15% of the users, which means almost 1, 188 patients. Nausea, on the other hand, was on top of the list of gastrointestinal issues, affecting fewer than one in 10.

Also read: 21% In 80 Weeks: Lancet Study Finds Lilly’s Retatrutide Delivers One Of The Biggest Weight Losses Ever

About Retatrutide

Retatrutide is being developed by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly as a treatment for obesity. It works on three hormone receptors involved in regulating appetite, blood sugar and energy balance: GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon.

The drug has attracted attention because clinical trials have shown substantial weight loss. In a Phase 2 trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, participants receiving the highest dose lost an average of 24.2% of their body weight over 48 weeks.

It also delivered nearly 21% average weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, according to results from a large Phase 3 trial published in The Lancet.

In the TRIUMPH-2 trial, people who received the highest 12 mg dose lost an average of 20.8% of their body weight over 80 weeks, equivalent to about 49.6 pounds or 22.5 kg.

However, promising results do not mean the drug is suitable for unsupervised use, especially since it is unapproved.

Also read: 2 Indians Charged In US Over Fake Ozempic Scheme: How To Spot Counterfeit GLP-1 Drugs

Side Effects Reported In The Clinical Trials

In controlled clinical trials, the most frequently reported side effects have included nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation. These gastrointestinal problems were generally more common at higher doses and during dose increases.

Researchers have also reported increased heart rate and skin sensitivity in some participants. In the Phase 2 trial, adverse events related to skin sensitivity were reported in 7% of participants receiving retatrutide, compared with 1% in the placebo group.

The symptoms reported in online discussions, including panic attacks and depression, require careful interpretation. Their appearance in user posts does not, by itself, prove that the drug caused them or establish how frequently they occur among people taking retatrutide under medical supervision.

Retatrutide remains under study, which means its safety profile is still being assessed by researchers. Products sold online or through unlawful ways may not contain the right advertised drug.

Professor Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, warned against purchasing unlicensed weight-loss products online. “I would urge people to avoid buying unlicensed weight-loss products online,” he said, according to Daily Mail. “There is no certainty about what these products contain, and without proper regulatory oversight there is a risk of adverse effects.”

Indonesia’s Central Kalimantan and Sumatra are shrouded in thick orange-yellow smog as wildfires rage across the regions. The smoke has spread across Southeast Asia, obscuring Singapore’s skyline, reaching the Philippines and forcing school closures in parts of Malaysia.

Indonesia’s Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) exceeded 1,200 on Wednesday, more than four times the “hazardous” threshold of 300, according to Environment Ministry data.

Fueled by El Niño-related dry conditions, the country is experiencing its most intense wildfire season in 11 years since mid-July. Authorities have recorded more than 280,000 respiratory problems in haze-affected regions since August 18, as fires burned through hundreds of thousands of hectares across Borneo and Sumatra.

Indonesia Plans Dry-Ice Trial To Reduce Haze

Also Read: Landmark Study Links Air Pollution To Higher Hospital Admissions For Cancers & Mental Health Disorders: Lancet

Indonesia plans to deploy 1.5 tons of dry ice, the solid form of carbon dioxide, over South Sumatra using Cessna aircraft to reduce the haze. The trial will focus on the Palembang area, with the approach potentially extended to other regions if successful, BBC reported.

Dry ice can cool the air and encourage cloud formation under suitable atmospheric conditions. However, its effectiveness in reducing wildfire haze will depend on local weather conditions and the method used.

Toxic Haze Spreads Across Southeast Asia

The smoke has reached Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor and the Philippines. Singapore’s National Environment Agency reported its highest air pollution warning level in the western part of the country on Wednesday. Fine particulate pollution also exceeded the World Health Organization’s recommended annual average exposure level, BBC reported.

Singapore has introduced subsidies for haze-related medical treatment and begun distributing N95 masks to eligible residents during periods of very unhealthy air pollution.

How Can Wildfire Smoke Affect Your Health?

Read More: Delhi Air Pollution Is Back: What Days Of Poor AQI Can Do to Your Lungs

A 2025 study published in Epidemiology found that the effects of wildfire smoke exposure on the heart and lungs may persist for up to three months after the smoke clears. Higher smoke pollution levels were also associated with an increased risk of health problems.

Why Is Wildfire Smoke Harmful?

Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter called PM2.5, which can penetrate deep into the lungs. Some particles can enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation.

Smoke may also contain toxic substances released by burning plastics, homes, vehicles, electronics and industrial materials.

Health Risks Of Wildfire Smoke

Prolonged exposure can affect several aspects of health:

• Lung health: Coughing, reduced lung function, worsening asthma and COPD, and other respiratory problems.
• Heart health: Fine particles can contribute to cardiovascular stress and heart-related complications.
• Brain health: Exposure may be associated with headaches and other neurological effects.
• Mental health: Wildfires, displacement and evacuations can contribute to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Cancer risk: Research is investigating possible links with lung, breast, colorectal and bladder cancers, as well as certain blood cancers. Evidence remains limited, and these associations do not establish direct causation.

Children, older adults and people with existing heart or lung conditions are particularly vulnerable.

How To Protect Yourself From Wildfire Smoke

Even after visible smoke clears, harmful particles may remain in the air. To reduce exposure:

• Check air quality before going outdoors.
• Stay indoors and avoid strenuous outdoor activity when pollution is high.
• Use a HEPA air purifier to reduce indoor airborne particles.
• Wear a well-fitted N95 mask if going outdoors is unavoidable.
• Keep windows and doors closed when smoke levels are high.
• Continue prescribed medications for asthma or heart disease.
• Seek medical care for persistent or worsening cough, chest pain or breathlessness.

India's Union Health Ministry has been asked to examine concerns over the safety and quality of coronary stents.

This comes after three models of drug-eluting stents (DES) made by India-based medical device company, Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd, were reportedly withdrawn in Sri Lanka over quality issues.

India-Made Coronary Stent Under Scrutiny

Sri Lanka drug regulatory body, National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), reportedly issued the instructions for withdrawal of these stents in June 2026. The Cabinet Secretariat urged the Health Ministry to look into the concerns on October 5, after a representation by Rajya Sabha member Ajeet Madhav Gopchade who is also a medical doctor.

According to Sri Lanka Mirror, the concerns include improper stent positioning, stent dislodgement, acute stent thrombosis, and failure of the devices to expand adequately after implantation.

Stent thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms inside the implanted stent, potentially blocking blood flow to the heart. Acute stent thrombosis is particularly serious because it can lead to a heart attack and requires urgent medical attention.

These complications can affect the success of a procedure and may put patients' lives at risk.

These issues were identified after an investigation was conducted by the Medical Device Evaluation Committee (MDEC) of the NMRA. The regulatory body also said that these defects necessitate the use of supplementary devices, which resulted in wastage of precious time and unnecessary added expenses.

In his representation, Gopchade addresses the media reports about the withdrawal of three stent models in Sri Lanka.

Need For Better Monitoring After Stent Implantation

Also read: Mammogram May Spot Hidden Heart Risk That Doctors Miss In Women

Gopchade urged the government to assess whether India's regulatory system needs further strengthening to address risks that come after coronary stent implantation.

In his letter dated October 5, he said the reported developments required closer scrutiny to protect patients. “These reports highlight that Indian-patient-safety issues that India needs to examine carefully and address proactively,” he said in the representation, according to The Economic Times.

He called for rigorous device testing, clinical decision-making, and monitoring of complications after stent implantation. He said that safety checks should not end once a medical device has received regulatory approval.

Gopchade called for better documentation to ensure that stents are used only when medically indicated, and that alternative treatments are considered first.

He also proposed stronger monitoring of the performance of medical devices after they enter routine clinical use. Such monitoring can help spot complications that may not have been apparent during initial testing.

Gopchade further urged the government to establish a mechanism for reviewing safety alerts, recalls and withdrawals issued by foreign regulators effectively.

This would help authorities assess whether a device flagged overseas is also being marketed or used in India and whether investigation is needed.

What Are Coronary Stents?

Coronary stents are small, mesh-like tubes that are placed inside narrowed or blocked coronary arteries to help restore blood flow to the heart. They are used during angioplasty, a procedure that opens blocked arteries in people with coronary artery disease.

Drug-eluting stents release medication over time to reduce the risk of the artery narrowing again. While these devices can help restore blood flow and improve cardiovascular health, their safety depends on their quality, correct placement, and post-procedure care.