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.

GLP-1 medications, widely prescribed for diabetes and weight loss, may also be associated with a lower risk of serious complications after surgery, a new study suggests.

The study, involving more than 2 million adults undergoing surgery, found that people taking GLP-1 medications had lower rates of major cardiovascular complications and postoperative infections than those not taking the drugs. Researchers from the University of Texas Health Houston presented the findings at the Anesthesiology 2026 annual meeting.

"GLP-1 medications have become part of everyday care for many people with diabetes or obesity, but physicians still need more evidence about how these drugs affect patients around the time of surgery," said lead author Josephine Tolan, an anesthesiologist at the Center for Outcomes Research, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.

Tolan added that although the results are encouraging, more research is needed to determine if the medications themselves are driving these benefits and how best to manage them before and after surgery.

What Are The Key Findings

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Researchers analyzed data from the Epic Cosmos database, a de-identified electronic health record database covering more than 1,700 hospitals and 40,000 clinics.

The study included US adults aged 18 and older who underwent elective surgeries lasting more than 60 minutes and stayed in the hospital for at least 24 hours after surgery between January 2016 and December 2024. Of the 2,028,601 patients included, 145,610, or about 7%, were taking GLP-1 medications.

After matching GLP-1 users with similar patients who were not taking the drugs, researchers found that GLP-1 use was associated with:

• 11% lower odds of major cardiovascular complications, including heart attack, heart injury, stroke or death.
• 8% lower odds of postoperative infections, including surgical site infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and sepsis.

How Might GLP-1 Drugs Affect Surgical Outcomes?

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Previous research has shown that GLP-1 medications can lower the risk of cardiovascular problems in some patients. However, their effects during and after surgery remain less clear.

Surgery places stress on the body, can trigger inflammation and may cause changes in blood pressure, blood sugar and circulation, potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications and infections, the researchers explained.

Further, they suggest that GLP-1 medications may be associated with fewer cardiovascular complications because they support weight loss, improve blood pressure and blood sugar control, reduce inflammation and may protect heart muscle during periods of stress.

These medications may also help reduce infection risk by improving blood sugar control. High blood sugar can weaken the body's immune response, making it harder to fight infections.

GLP-1 Drugs And Cardiovascular Health

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Research has found that people taking GLP-1 medications to treat diabetes, overweight or obesity have fewer major cardiovascular events, like heart attack or stroke, compared to people not taking GLP-1 medications.

In fact, the American College of Cardiology now recommends GLP-1 drugs as a way to reduce cardiovascular disease risk through weight loss.

When weight decreases, so does blood pressure, inflammation, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides, and protective factors like good (HDL) cholesterol increase. In other words, overweight or obese individuals who are prescribed a GLP-1 for weight loss may experience positive changes to their heart health, especially if they are at risk of heart disease.

Smokeless tobacco accounted for 57.3% of mouth cancers among men in India, while tobacco in any form estimated to be at least 73.4% of mouth cancers among women, according to a new study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research.

The study, Head and Neck Cancer Burden Attributable to Tobacco Use in India: National and Region-wise Estimates, sheds light on the differences in tobacco-related cancer risks by sex, cancer site and region. The findings also bring attention to the role of smokeless tobacco products and their contribution to head and neck cancer burden in India.

The researchers estimated that eliminating tobacco exposure could prevent a bulk proportion of these cancers.

Smokeless Tobacco Linked To Mouth And Lip Cancers

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Researchers studied records of 11,285 patients diagnosed with head and neck cancers and 7,154 people with non-cancerous conditions who visited the Regional Cancer Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India between 2019 and 2024.

Among men, smokeless tobacco accounted for 61.8% of lip cancers, 30.7% of tongue cancers and 57.3% of mouth cancers.

On the other hand, almost 40.2% of cancers of the base of the tongue, tonsils and oropharynx, 45.7% of hypopharyngeal cancers and 38.4% of laryngeal cancers were attributed to smoking.

The authors highlighted how smoking and smokeless tobacco expose oral tissues to carcinogens. The authors wrote, “This may be because smokeless tobacco directly contacts the oral cavity, causing prolonged exposure of the tongue to carcinogens, whereas smoking produces more diffuse and less concentrated exposure.”

The study also found that 55.3% of men with mouth cancer used smokeless tobacco, compared to 17.5% of men in the comparison group. Among men diagnosed with hypopharyngeal cancer, 85% smoked.

High Burden Of Tobacco-Related Mouth Cancer Among Women

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Among women, smokeless tobacco accounted for around 68.8% of lip cancers and 68% of mouth cancers. Smoking accounted for 41% of oropharyngeal cancers and 34% of hypopharyngeal cancers.

The researchers estimated that the odds of mouth cancer among women who used smokeless tobacco were 17.6 times those among non-users. Among men, the corresponding odds ratio was 5.5.

Tobacco Cancer Risks Across States

The study also shows differences in tobacco-related cancer risks between states. Among men, the estimated proportion of mouth cancers due to smokeless tobacco was 71% in Jharkhand and 70.3% in Odisha.

In southern India, the estimates were 50.2% in Karnataka, 35.1% in Tamil Nadu, 33.9% in Telangana, 25.6% in Andhra Pradesh and 25.1% in Kerala.

Among women, the estimated proportion of mouth cancers due to smokeless tobacco exceeded 80% in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and several Northeastern states. In Tripura, it was around 90.4%.

The authors said that these differences could be due to regional variations in tobacco consumption and the products used.

However, the study used cancer risk estimates derived from hospital-based data in Kerala and applied them nationally because state-specific risk estimates were unavailable.

The authors addressed this limitation, stating, “In this study, due to limited State-specific data, cancer risk from tobacco exposures was assumed uniform nationwide.”

The researchers stressed the need for prevention by improving access to tobacco cessation services, especially in regions with high estimated burdens of tobacco-related cancers.

“The findings emphasise the need to strengthen tobacco cessation services, especially for high-risk men in regions with elevated population attributable fractions,” the authors wrote.

Health authorities in Australia's New South Wales have warned against unapproved peptide products after emergency department presentations linked to their use surged.

NSW Health recorded 1,180 peptide-related hospital presentations between July 2025 and September 2026, with about a quarter involving young people aged 16 to 24.

Retatrutide Accounts For 71% ER Visits

Retatrutide accounted for 71% of peptide-related emergency hospital admissions. Products described generically as “peptides” or by other names accounted for another 38%, while 8% involved combinations of products, News.com.au reported.

Peptides have gained popularity through social media, where influencers promote them for weight loss, muscle growth, injury recovery and anti-aging. However, unapproved products may have uncertain composition, quality and safety.

Peptide-Related Emergency Visits Rise 4,240%

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Monthly hospital emergency visits rose from five in July 2025 to 217 in September 2026, an increase of 4,240%. New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park warned that unapproved substances posed health risks and placed additional pressure on public hospitals.

“Even when a product looks professional or comes in convincing packaging, that does not guarantee it is safe for use,” Park said.

Young people aged 16 to 24 accounted for about a quarter of presentations. Those aged 25 to 34 made up 32%, while 26% were aged 35 to 44. Men accounted for 51% of cases.

Health Risks Of Using Unapproved Peptides

Patients presenting to emergency departments after adverse reactions reported symptoms including

• abdominal pain,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• chest pain,
• anaphylaxis
• allergic reactions.

Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approves some peptide-based products, but many promoted online are not approved and may be unlawful to import, supply or advertise. These include BPC-157, GHK-Cu, TB-500, retatrutide and CJC-1295.

NSW Health Chief Health Officer Dr. Kerry Chant cautioned that products sold under the same label could vary in composition and strength.

“A professional looking website, a label, purity claim, reviews, or influencer endorsement is not proof of what is inside the product,” Chant said.

She urged people to consult their general practitioner about potential risks and safer, evidence-based alternatives.

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What Is Retatrutide, And What Are The Risks?

Retatrutide is an investigational obesity drug developed by Eli Lilly. It targets three hormone receptors involved in appetite, blood sugar and energy balance: GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon.

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. A Phase 3 trial published in The Lancet reported nearly 21% average weight loss among participants with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Despite these results, retatrutide remains investigational and is not yet FDA-approved.

There have been several unbranded, generic copies of the Retatrutide chemical sequence manufactured by unregulated chemical labs and sold online. It may not have verified composition, quality or strength.

The drug has been dubbed the “Godzilla” of weight-loss jabs. A recent report by the Daily Mail showed 129 symptoms associated with its use, including skin-burning sensations, panic attacks, a racing heartbeat and depression.

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.”