Commentary: Postoperative atrial fibrillation can last years? Oh snap!

Despite improvements in perioperative and operative care, postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is still found in approximately 15% to 60% of cardiac surgical patients.1 The potential clinical impact on patients is dependent on mainly their clinical status and can include heart failure, acute renal failure, stroke or thromboembolism, anticoagulation-related complications, and even death. This is particularly true because a significant proportion of patients with aortic stenosis have diastolic dysfunction and rely on the atrial contraction to maintain adequate cardiac output.
Source: The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research