title: Incidence and risk factors associated with cardiac arrhythmias during rehabilitation after coronary artery bypass surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical relevance of cardiac arrhythmias during rehabilitation after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey of consecutive patients admitted to an inpatient cardiac rehabilitation center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A rehabilitation center acting as a reference for cardiology clinics lacking this facility. The program was performed in the inpatient setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred sixty patients undergoing elective CABG surgery for angina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-week cardiac rehabilitation program. A 24-hour electrocardiographic examination was performed during the first 2 days and, subsequently, on a daily basis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incidence and type of cardiac arrhythmias during rehabilitation; identification of factors associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cardiac arrhythmias were recorded in 33.5% of the patients and were more frequent in patients with hypertension (47%), diabetes (42.4%), and hyperlipidemia (36.5%), compared with patients free from these diseases (15.5%) (p < .05). Arrhythmias were also recorded in patients older than 70 years (49%), compared with those younger (29.2%) (p < .01), and in patients who discontinued amiodarone (64.3%) compared with those who did not interrupt the drug (16%) (p < .005). Arrhythmias precluded rehabilitation in 5% of the patients and caused death in one patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surveillance for the development of cardiac arrhythmias during cardiac rehabilitation after CABG surgery may allow the early detection and treatment of arrhythmias in a substantial number of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Semeiology and Methodology, University of Rome, Tor Vergata, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galante
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pietroiusti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavazzini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Magrini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergamaschi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sciarra
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chartouni
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Legramante
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004576:Electromyography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors