title: Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Can Ivabradine Reduce Its Occurrence?
abstract: We compared the efficacy of perioperative ivabradine, bisoprolol, or both for prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
  
  
  
  We enrolled 740 consecutive patients scheduled for elective CABG with/without valve surgery. Patients were assigned to 1 of 3 protocols: ivabradine given perioperatively (48 hours preoperatively, then 1 week postoperatively) 5 mg bid for 24 hours, then 7.5 mg bid thereafter in patients who can tolerate (group 1, n = 212); bisoprolol given perioperatively 5 mg bid (group 2, n = 288); or both drugs given perioperatively (ivabradine as before + bisoprolol 5 mg once daily) (group 3, n = 240). Cardiac rhythm was continuously monitored for 15 days postoperatively by ambulatory event recorder. Clinical follow-up for the occurrence of arrhythmias was performed for the next 15 days. The primary endpoint was the incidence of AF at 30-day follow-up. Mean age was 56.5 ± 8.9 years (30.5% females). All patients completed 30-day follow-up. AF occurred in 10.4%. The 3 groups were matched for most baseline characteristics, echocardiographic and angiographic data (P > 0.05 for all). The incidence of AF was significantly lower in group 3 (4.2%), compared with group 1 (15.5%), and group 2 (12.2%), (P < 0.001 both). The duration of stay in the intensive care unit was shorter in group 3 versus group 1 and 2 (P < 0.001 both).
  
  
  
  In patients undergoing elective CABG, adding ivabradine to β-blockers during the perioperative period was associated with reduced incidence of AF at 30-day follow-up, compared with either medication alone.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Zainab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abdel-Salam
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Wail
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nammas
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D058671:Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D017298:Bisoprolol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004534:Egypt; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D000077550:Ivabradine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D058671:Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Antagonists; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D001552:Benzazepines; D000077550:Ivabradine; D017298:Bisoprolol
keywords: atrial fibrillation; coronary artery bypass grafting; ivabradine