title: [Atrial fibrillation after open-heart surgery--incidence, prevention  and treatment].
abstract: Atrial fibrillation is a common problem in the postoperative period following open-heart surgery. The pathogenesis of postoperative atrial fibrillation is likely to be multifactorial, however increased sympathetic activation may play a significant role. The aim of the study was to detect the incidence and possible reasons of atrial fibrillation in the first three postoperative days after open-heart surgery. Atrial fibrillation was detected in a total of 48 patients (mean age 64.8 +/- 8.8 years) of the 302 consecutive patients included in the study. The incidence of atrial fibrillation was 15.9%. In the history of patients with atrial fibrillation paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation occurred in 18 cases. Acute ischaemia, hypopotassemia, high dose catecholamines contributed to the development of arrhythmias in 6, 4 and 4 cases, respectively. Lack of perioperative beta-blocker treatment was seen in 35 cases. Postoperative bleeding and reoperation occurred prior to the onset of atrial fibrillation in 9 instances. The applied antiarrhythmic therapy was metoprolol, amiodarone, propafenon and electrical cardioversion in 33, 21, 4 and 2 cases, respectively. Incidence of atrial fibrillation was found significantly lower in patients receiving beta-blocker premedication (13/181 [7.18%] versus 35/121 [28.9%]). There was no correlation between the incidence of atrial fibrillation and the length of the surgery, aortic-cross clamp time and the number of bypass grafts. Absence of preoperative beta-blocker treatment, previous atrial fibrillation and combined surgery were found to be strong predictors of atrial fibrillation. There was weaker association with increased age. On the basis of the outcome of our study beta-blocker premedication is suggested in most patients undergoing open-heart surgery.
authors.affiliation: Altalànos Orvostudomànyi Kar, Er- és Szívsebészeti Klinika, Semmelweis Egyetem, Budapest.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vágó
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Merkely
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szabolcs
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moravcsik
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gellér
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Turbók
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matkó
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bodor
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004554:Electric Countershock; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011405:Propafenone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D011405:Propafenone; D008790:Metoprolol; D000638:Amiodarone