Anaphylaxis-induced atrial fibrillation and anesthesia: Pathophysiologic and therapeutic considerations.

Anaphylaxis-induced atrial fibrillation and anesthesia: Pathophysiologic and therapeutic considerations. Ann Card Anaesth. 2020 Jan-Mar;23(1):1-6 Authors: Kounis NG, Koniari I, Tzanis G, Soufras GD, Velissaris D, Hahalis G Abstract Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in western society affecting more than 35 million individuals worldwide annually. It is a common postoperative complication and may also occur spontaneously during general and local anesthesia administration. Aging, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases including cardiomyopathies, congenital cardiac anomalies, heart failure, myocardial ischemia, pericarditis, previous cardiac surgery, vascular disease, and valvular heart disease are some correlated factors. Beyond age, increased incidence of atrial fibrillation has been correlated to autoimmune system activation as it is the underlying mechanism of persistent atrial fibrillation development. Current research supports an association between the complement system activation and lymphocyte-pro-inflammatory cytokines release with the cardiac conduction system and atrial fibrosis. The loss of CD28 antigen from CD4+ CD28+ T lymphocytes seems to play a major role in atrial fibrillation development and prognosis. Except atrial fibrillation, a variety of additional electrocardiographic changes, resembling those with digitalis intoxication may accompany anaphylaxis and particularly Koun...
Source: Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: Ann Card Anaesth Source Type: research