implications of Atrial Fibrillation after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and is associated with an increased incidence of other complications and an increased hospital length of stay. Prevention of AF is a reasonable clinical goal. The aim of this study is to determine the predictive value of multiple clinical, hemodynamic and operative variables for the occurrence of postoperative AF.
Methods:This research is a descriptive study. Patients scheduled for elective CABG between 1997 and 1999 were recruited. The patients underwent holter monitoring for 3 consecutive days. Information was collected by a questionnaire. Statistical analysis was based on the SPSS software and was done through the descriptive statistical method.
200 patients underwent isolated CABG between 2001 and 2003. The patients with a mean age of 55±8 years old underwent holter monitoring for 3 days. AF occurred in 20% of the patients, postoperatively. 30% of the patients converted to sinus rhythm spontaneously, 60% converted with amiodarone and 10% of the patients required electric shock.
Beta blockers are the first line of medication for the prevention of postoperative AF. The incidence of AF during the first postoperative week after CABG varies between 5-40%; prolonged mechanical ventilation after CABG significantly increases the incidence of postoperative AF