The Problem With Predicting Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, with significant effects on patient quality of life and healthcare costs. Currently, more than 400,000 hospitalizations and 80,000 deaths annually are attributed to AF, with a substantial associated healthcare cost of $26 billion.1,2 Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a unique entity seen in 16% to 30% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and is associated with increased stroke, mortality, and hospital length of stay.3–5 The exact mechanism of POAF remains unknown, although it likely is multifactorial, caused by a combination of surgical stress and autonomic imbalances superimposed on pre-existing electrophysiologic and structural heart diseases.
Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research