Faster Walking Pace May Reduce Risk of Cardiac Arrhythmias

A prospective UK cohort study found that both self-reported average or brisk walking pace and accelerometer-measured time spent walking at moderate or brisk pace were associated with a lower risk of cardiac arrhythmias. These associations were partially mediated by metabolic and inflammatory factors.

Self-reported walking pace data were available for 420,925 participants from the UK Biobank, while accelerometer-based walking data were collected from 81,956 participants. Compared to individuals with a slow walking pace, those who reported average or brisk paces had significantly reduced risks of all arrhythmias (hazard ratios [HR] 0.65 and 0.57), atrial fibrillation (HR 0.62 and 0.54), and other arrhythmias—including bradyarrhythmias and ventricular arrhythmias (HR 0.69 and 0.61).

Metabolic and inflammatory markers accounted for 36.0% of the association between walking pace and arrhythmia risk. These associations were independent of other established cardiovascular risk factors and were consistent across all subgroups, with stronger effects observed in women, individuals under 60 years of age, those with a BMI below 30, people with high blood pressure, and individuals with two or more chronic conditions.

The findings support brisk walking as a safe and accessible intervention to reduce the risk of arrhythmias, especially in higher-risk populations. Source: https://heart.bmj.com/