Implications and treatment of atrial fibrillation after cardiothoracic surgery

Current Opinion in Cardiology

Volumn 13, Issue 1, 1998, Pages 20-28

  Cooklin, Michael ^a   Gold, Michael R ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

AMIODARONE; BETA ADRENERGIC RECEPTOR BLOCKING AGENT; DIGOXIN; PROCAINAMIDE; VERAPAMIL;

AGE; ANTICOAGULATION; DRUG EFFICACY; GENDER; HEALTH CARE COST; HEART ATRIUM CONDUCTION; HEART ATRIUM FIBRILLATION; HUMAN; LENGTH OF STAY; MORBIDITY; PATHOGENESIS; PRIORITY JOURNAL; REVIEW; RISK FACTOR; SINUS RHYTHM; SYMPATHETIC TONE; THORAX SURGERY;

EID: 0031886512     PISSN: 02684705     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1097/00001573-199801000-00004     Document Type: Review

References (80)

1. Lauer MS, Eagle KA, Buckley MJ, DeSanctis RW: Atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass surgery. Prog Cardiovasc Dis 1989, 31:367-378.
2. Vecht RJ, Nicolaides EP, Ikweuke JK, Liassides C, Cleary J, Cooper WB: Incidence and prevention of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias after coronary bypass surgery. Int J Cardiol 1986, 13:125-134.
3. Cox JL: A perspective of postoperative atrial fibrillation in cardiac operations. Ann Thorac Surg 1993, 56:405-409.
4. Creswell LL, Scheussler RB, Rosenbloom M, Cox JL: Hazards of post-operative atrial arrhythmias. Ann Thorac Surg 1993, 56:539-549.
5. Weintraub WS, Jones EL, Craver J, Guyton R, Cohen C: Determinants of prolonged length of hospital stay after coronary bypass surgery. Circulation 1989, 80:276-284.
6. White HD, Antman EM, Glynn MA, Collins JJ, Cohn LH, Shermin RJ, Freidman PL: Efficacy and safety of timolol for prevention of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias after coronary artery bypass surgery. Circulation 1984, 70:479-484.
7. Leitch JW, Thomson D, Baird DK, Harris PJ: The importance of age as a predictor of atrial fibrillation and flutter after coronary artery bypass grafting. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1990, 100:338-342.
8. Aranki SF, Shaw DP, Adams DH, Rizzo RJ, Couper GS, VanderVliet M, Collins JJ, Cohn LH, Burstin HR: Predictors of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery surgery: current trends and impact on hospital resources. Circulation 1996, 94:390-397. A 12-month prospective study of 570 patients undergoing CABG, which confirmed AF as the most common postoperative complication. Independent predictors were identified using regression analysis and the effects on hospital resources were calculated
9. Mathew JP, Parks R, Savino JS, Friedman AS, Koch C, Mangano DT, Browner WS, for the Multicenter Study of Perioperative Ischemia Research Group: Atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass graft surgery: predictors, outcomes and resource utilization. JAMA 1996, 276:300-306. A prospective study of 2417 patients that identified pulmonary vein venting, bicaval venous cannulation, longer cross-clamp times, and postoperative atrial pacing as independent risk factors for the development of postoperative AF following CABG with or without concomitant valvular surgery. This study also confirmed advanced age and male gender as important risk factors. The occurrence of postoperative AF delayed hospital discharge by more than 2 days.
10. Gaylard E: Changing incidence of atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass grafting: a retrospective analysis. Br J Clin Pract 1996, 50:164-165. A retrospective analysis of 455 cases in a single surgical unit that demonstrated a reduction in the incidence of post-CABG AF over 3 years, and related this to potassium replacement and reduction in diuretic usage.
11. Krowka MJ, Pairolero PC, Trastek VF, Payne WS, Bernaz PE: Cardiac dysrythmia following pneumonectomy: clinical correlates and prognostic significance. Chest 1987, 91:490-495.
12. von Knorring J, Lepantalo M, Lindgren L, Lindfors O: Cardiac arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia after thoracotomy for lung cancer. Ann Thorac Surg 1992, 53:642-647.
13. Patel RL, Townsend ER, Fountain SW: Elective pneumonectomy: factors associated with morbidity and operative mortality. Ann Thorac Surg 1992, 54:84-88.
14. Jakobsen CJ, Bille S, Ahlburg P, Rybro L, Hjortholm K, Andresen EB: Perioperative metoprolol reduces the frequency of atrial fibrillation after thoracotomy for lung resection. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 1997, 11:746-751.
15. Hashimoto K, Ilstrup DM, Schaff HV: Influence of clinical and hemodynamic variables on risk of supraventricular tachycardia after coronary artery bypass. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1991, 101:56-65.
16. Frost L, Melgaard H, Christiansen EH, Hjortholm K, Paulsen PK, Thomsen PE: Atrial fibrillation and flutter after coronary artery bypass surgery: epidemiology, risk factors and preventative trials. Int J Cardiol 1992, 36:253-261.
17. Asher CP, Chung MK, Dykstra D, Leo H, McCarthy PM, Cosgrove DM III: Internal mammary artery conduits and age predict post operative atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass [abstract]. Circulation 1995, 92:I-177.
18. Mendes LA, Connelly GP, McKenney PA, Podrid PJ, Cupples LA, Shemin RJ, Ryan TJ, Davidoff R: Right coronary artery stenosis: an independent predictor of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. J Am Coll Cardiol 1995, 25:198-202.
19. Fuller JA, Adams GG, Buxton B: Atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting: is it a disorder of the elderly? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1989, 97:821-825.
20. Mooe T, Gullsby S, Rabben T, Eriksson P: Sleep-disordered breathing: a novel predictor of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery. Coron Artery Dis 1996, 7:475-478.
21. Buxton AE, Josephson ME: The role of P wave duration as a predictor of postoperative atrial arrhythmias. Chest 1981, 80:68-73.
22. Steinberg JS, Zelenkofske S, Wong SC, Gelernt M, Sciacca R, Menchavez E: The value of the P-wave signal-averaged electrocardiogram for predicting atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery. Circulation 1993, 88:2618-2622.
23. Klein M, Evans SJ, Blumberg S, Cataldo L, Bodeheimer MM: Use of P-wave-triggered, P-wave-signal-averaged electrocardiogram to predict atrial fibrillation after coronary bypass surgery. Am Heart J 1995, 129:895-901.
24. Stafford PJ, Kolvekar S, Cooper J, Fothergill J, Schlindwein F, deBono DP, Spyt TJ, Garratt CJ: Signal averaged P wave compared with standard electrocardiography or echocardiography for prediction of atrial fibrillation after coronary bypass grafting. Heart 1997, 77:417-422. Signal-averaged P wave duration was found to be a better predictor of postoperative AF than electrocardiographic or echocardiographic measures in 201 patients undergoing first elective CABG.
25. Frost L, Lund B, Pilegaard H, Christiansen EH: Re-evaluation of the role of P-wave duration and morphology as predictors of atrial fibrillation and flutter after coronary artery bypass surgery. Eur Heart J 1996, 17:1065-1071.
26. Spach MS, Dolber PC, Heidlage JF: Influence of the passive anisotropic properties on directional differences in propagation following modification of the sodium conductance in human atrial muscle. Circ Res 1988, 62:811-832.
27. Chidambaram M, Akhtar MJ, al-Nozha M, al-Saddique A: Relationship of atrial fibrillation to significant pericardial effusion in valve-replacement patients. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1992, 40:70-73.
28. Pehkonen EJ, Mäkynen PJ, Kataja MJ, Tarkka MR: Atrial fibrillation after blood and crystalloid cardioplegia in CABG patients. Thorac Cardiovasc Surgeon 1995, 43:200-203.
29. Arom KV, Emery RW, Petersen RJ, Bero JW: Evaluation of 7,000+ patients with two different routes of cardioplegia. Ann Thorac Surg 1997, 63:1619-1624. A large retrospective survey of more than 7000 patients that compared retrograde cardioplegia with an antegrade/retrograde approach.
30. Kolvekar S, D'Souza A, Akhatar P, Reek C, Garratt C, Spyt T: Role of atrial ischaemia in development of atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass surgery. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 1997, 11:70-75. An interesting study that showed a higher incidence of postoperative AF in patients with obstructive disease in the sinoatnal and atrioventricular nodal arteries.
31. Boudoulas H, Snyder GL, Lewis RP, Kates RE, Karayannocos PE, Vasko JS: Safety and rationale for continuation of propranolol therapy during coronary artery bypass operation. Ann Thorac Surg 1978, 26:222-227.
32. Olshansky B, Wang Z, Hariman R, Euler D: Autonomic influences on activation during atrial ischemia [abstract]. PACE 1995, 18:11-1743.
33. Kalman JM, Munawar M, Howes LG, Louis WJ, Buxton BF, Gutteridge G, Tonkin AM: Atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with sympathetic activation. Ann Thorac Surg 1995, 60:1709-1715.
34. Michelson EL, Morganroth J, MacVaugh H: Postoperative arrhythmias after coronary artery and cardiac valvular surgery detected by long term electrocardiographic monitoring. Am Heart J 1979, 97:442-448.
35. Wolf PA, Abbott RD, Kannel WB: Atrial fibrillation as an independent risk factor for stroke: the Framlngham study. Stroke 1991, 22:983-988.
36. Gardner TJ, Horneffer PJ, Manolio TA, Pearson TA, Gott VL, Baumgartner WA, Borkon AM, Watkins L, Reitz BA: Stroke following coronary artery bypass grafting: a ten-year study. Ann Thorac Surg 1985, 40:574-581.
37. Reed GL III, Singer DE, Picard EH, DeSanctis RW: Stroke following coronary-artery bypass surgery: a case-control estimate of the risk from carotid bruits. N Engl J Med 1988, 319:1246-1250.
38. Bull DA, Neumayer LA, Hunter GC, Keksz J, Sethi GK, McIntyre KE, Bernhard VM: Risk factors for stroke in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Cardiovasc Surg 1993, 1:182-185.
39. Brener BJ, Brief DK, Alpert J, Goldenkranz RJ, Parsonnet V, Feldman S, Gielchinsky I, Abel RM, Hochberg M, Hussain M: A four-year experience with preoperative noninvasive carotid evaluation of two thousand twenty-six patients undergoing cardiac surgery. J Vasc Surg 1984, 1:326-338.
40. Taylor GJ, Malik SA, Colliver JA, Dove JT, Moses HW, Mikell FL, Batchelder JE, Schneider JA, Wellons HA: Usefulness of atrial fibrillation as a predictor of stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting. Am J Cardiol 1987, 60:905-907.
41. Gold MR, O'Gara PT, Buckley MJ, DeSanctis RW: Efficacy and safety of procainamide in preventing arrhythmias after coronary artery bypass surgery. Am J Cardiol 1996, 78:975-979.
42. Beggs VL, Birkemeyer NJ, Nugent WC, Dacey LJ, O'Connor GT: Factors related to rehospitalization within thirty days of discharge after coronary artery bypass grafting. Best Practices and Benchmarking in Healthcare 1996, 1:180-186.
43. Kowey PR, Taylor JE, Marinchak RA, Rials SJ, Rubin AR: Preventing supraventricular arrhythmia after CABG surgery. Choices Cardiol 1993, 7:298-300.
44. Hammon JW, Wood AJJ, Prager RL, Wood M, Muirhead J, Bender HW: Perioperative beta blockade with propranolol: reduction in myocardial oxygen demands and incidence of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Ann Thorac Surg 1984, 38:333-336.
45. Daudon P, Corcos T, Gandjbakhch I, Levasseur JP, Cabrol A, Cabrol C: Prevention of atrial fibrillation or flutter by acebutolol after coronary bypass grafting. Am J Cardiol 1986, 58:933-936.
46. Matangi MF, Strickland J, Garbe GJ, Habib N, Basu AK, Burgess JJ, Maitland A, Busse EFG: Atenolol for the prevention of arrhythmias following coronary artery bypass grafting. Can J Cardiol 1989, 5:229-234.
47. Rubin DA, Nieminski KE, Reed GE, Herman MV: Predictors, prevention, and long-term prognosis of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft operations. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1987, 94:331-335.
48. Janssen J, Loomans L, Harink J, Taams M, Brunninjhuis L, van der Starre P, Kootstra G: Prevention and treatment of supraventricular tachycardia shortly after coronary artery bypass grafting: a randomized open trial. Angiology 1986, 37:601-609.
49. Ivey MF, Ivey TD, Bailey WW, Williams DB, Hessel EA, Miller DW Jr: Influence of propranolol on supraventricular tachycardia early after coronary artery revascularizatlon: a randomized trial. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1983, 85:214-218.
50. Paull DL, Tidwell SL, Guyton SW, Harvey E, Woolf RA, Holmes JR. Anderson RP: Beta blockade to prevent atrial dysrhythmias following coronary bypass surgery. Am J Surg 1997, 173:419-421.
51. Andrews TC, Reimold SC, Berlin JA, Antman EM: Prevention of supraventrlcular arrhythmias after coronary artery bypass surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized control trials. Circulation 1991, 84(suppl III):III-236-III-244.
52. Kowey PR, Taylor JE, Rials SJ, Marinchak RA: Meta-analysis of the effectiveness of prophylactic drug therapy in preventing supraventricular arrhythmia early after coronary bypass grafting. Am J Cardiol 1992, 69:963-965.
53. Silverman NA, Wright R, Levitsky S: Efficacy of low-dose propranolol in preventing postoperative supraventricular tachyarrhythmias: a prospective, randomized study. Ann Surg 1982, 196:194-197.
54. Salazar C, Frishman W, Friedman S, Patel J, Lin YT, Oka Y, Frater RW, Becker RM: Beta-blockade therapy for supraventricular tachyarrhythmias after coronary artery surgery: a propranolol withdrawal syndrome? Angiology 1979, 30:816-819.
55. Mohr R, Smolinsky A, Goor DA: Prevention of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia with low-dose propranolol after coronary bypass. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1981, 81:840-845.
56. Matangi MF, Neutze JM, Graham KJ, Hill DG, Kerr AR, Barrart-Boyes BG: Arrhythmia prophylaxis after aorta-coronary bypass: the effect of minidose propranolol. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1985, 89:439-443.
57. Abel RM, van Gelder HM, Pores IH, Liguori J, Gielchinsky I, Parsonnet V: Continued propranolol administration following coronary bypass surgery: antiarrhythmic effects. Arch Surg 1983, 118:727-731.
58. Nyström U, Edvardsson N, Berggren H, Pizzarelli GP, Radegran K: Oral sotalol reduces the incidence of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1993, 41:34-37.
59. Suttorp MJ, Kingma JH, Peels HOJ, Koomen EM, Tijssen JGP, van Hemmel NM, Defauw JAM, Ernst SMPG: Effectiveness of sotalol in preventing supraventricular tachyarrhythmias shortly after coronary artery bypass grafting. Am J Cardiol 1991, 68:1163-1169.
60. Jacquet L, Evenepoel M, Marenne F, Evrard P, Verhelst R, Dion R, Goenen M: Hemodynamic effects and safety of sotalol in the prevention of supraventricular arrhythmias after coronary artery bypass surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 1994, 8:431-436.
61. Suttorp MJ, Kingma JH, Tjon Joe Gin RM, van Hemel NM, Koomen EM, Defauw JAM, Adan AJM, Ernst SMPG: Efficacy and safety of low- and high-dose sotalol versus propranolol in the prevention of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias early after coronary artery bypass operations. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1990, 100:921-926.
62. Laub GW, Janeira L, Muralidharan S, Riebman JB, Chen C, Neary M, Fernandez J, Adkins MS, McGrath LB: Prophylactic procainamide for prevention of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting: a prospective double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study. Crit Care Med 1993, 21:1474-1478.
63. Weiner B, Rheinlander HF, Decker EL, Cleveland RJ: Digoxin prophylaxis following coronary artery bypass surgery. Clin Pharm 1986, 5:55-58.
64. Rasmussen HS, McNair P, Norregard P, Backer V, Lindeneg O, Balslev S: Intravenous magnesium in acute myocardial infarction. Lancet 1986, 1:234-236.
65. Abraham AS, Rosenmann D, Kramer M, Balkin J, Zion MM, Farbstein H, Eylath U: Magnesium in the prevention of lethal arrhythmias in acute myocardial infarction. Arch Intern Med 1987, 147:753-755.
66. ISIS-4: A randomised factorial trial assessing early oral captopril, oral mononitrate, and intravenous magnesium sulphate in 58,050 patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction: ISIS-4 (Fourth International Study of Infarct Survival) Collaborative Group. Lancet 1995, 345:669-685.
67. Bunton RW: Value of serum magnesium estimation in diagnosing myocardial infarction and predicting dysrhythmias after coronary artery bypass grafting. Thorax 1983, 38:946-950.
68. Fanning WJ, Thomas CS, Roach A, Tomichek R, Alford WC, Stoney WS: Prophylaxis of atrial fibrillation with magnesium sulfate after coronary artery bypass grafting. Ann Thorac Surg 1991, 52:529-533.
69. Parikka H, Tiovonen L, Pellinen T, Verkkala K, Järvinen A, Nieminen MS: The influence of intraveous magnesium sulphate on the occurrence of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery by-pass operation. Eur Heart J 1993, 14:251-258.
70. Borgeat A, Petropoulos P, Cavin R, Biollaz J, Munafo A, Schwander D: Prevention of arrhythmias after noncardiac thoracic operations: flecainide versus digoxin. Ann Thorac Surg 1991, 51:964-967.
71. Terzi A, Furlan G, Chiavacci P, Dal Corso B, Luzzam A, Dalla Volta S: Prevention of atrial tachyarrythmias after non-cardiac thoracic surgery by infusion of magnesium sulphate. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1996, 44:300-303. A study of 200 patients undergoing thoracic surgery that showed a highly significant reduction in the incidence of postoperative AF in patients who received an infusion of magnesium.
72. Falk RH, Knowlton AA, Bernard SA, Gotlieb NE, Battinelli NJ: Digoxin for converting recent-onset atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm: a randomized, double-blinded trial. Ann Intern Med 1987, 106:503-506.
73. Heywood JT: Calcium channel blockers for heart rate control in atrial fibrillation complicated by congestive heart failure. Can J Cardiol 1995, 11:823-836.
74. Bellandi F, Cantini F, Pedone T, Palchetti R, Bamoshmoosh M, Dabizzi RP: Effectiveness of intravenous propafenone for conversion of recent-onset atrial fibrillation: a placebo-controlled study. Clin Cardiol 1995, 18:631-634.
75. Installe E, Schoevaerdts JC, Gadisseux P, Charles S, Tremouroux J: Intravenous amiodarone in the treatment of various arrhythmias following cardiac operations. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1981, 81:302-308.
76. Butler J, Harriss DR, Sinclair M, Westaby S: Amiodarone prophylaxis for tachycardias after coronary artery surgery: a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial. Br Heart J 1993, 70:56-60.
77. Campbell TJ, Gavaghan TP, Morgan JJ: Intravenous sotalol for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and flutter after cardiopulmonary bypass: comparison with disopyramide and digoxin in a randomised trial. Br Heart J 1985, 54:86-90.
78. Frost L, Mortensen, PE, Tingleff J, Platou ES, Christiansen EH, Christiansen N, Dofetilide Post-CABG Study Group: Efficacy and safety of dofetilide, a new class III antiarrythmic agent in acute termination of atrial fibrillation or flutter after coronary artery bypass surgery. Int J Cardiol 1997, 58:135-140.
79. Atrial Fibrillation Investigators: Risk factors for stroke and efficacy of antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation: analysis of pooled data from five randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med 1994, 154:1449-1457.
80. Stoddard MF, Dawkins PR, Prince CR, Ammash NM: Left atrial appendage thrombus is not uncommon in patients with acute atrial fibrillation and a recent embolic event: a transesophageal echocardiographic study. J Am Coll Cardiol 1995, 25:452-459.