POST-OPERATIVE ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

INCIDENCE AFTER CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFT SURGERY

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia observed following Coronary
Artery Bypass Graft surgery. Objectives: To determine the incidence of post-operative atrial
fibrillation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Materials and Methods:
Study Design: Non-randomized prospective. Setting: Cardiac Surgery Department of
Multan Institute of Cardiology, Multan. Period: 20-1-2014 to 01-05-2015. A total number of
four hundred and ninety (490) patients having age more than 40 years undergoing isolated
coronary artery bypass graft surgery were included in the study. Data was analyzed in SPSS
V20 software. Frequency and percentages were used for Atrial Fibrillation. To see the impact of
AF on morbidity, patients developing AF was compared with those who do not develop Atrial
Fibrillation post-operatively using independent sample t-test for quantitative variables. Chisquare
test and Fischer’s Exact test (whenever appropriate) was used to compare qualitative
variables. Results: A total number of four hundred and ninety (490) patients were included in
this study. There were more 431 males (88.0%) in this study. of the patients 71.6% were in LV
Grade I before surgery. Incidence of post-operative atrial fibrillation was 13.5%. In 4.5% patients
IABP was inserted due to hemodynamic instability. Ventilation time and hospital stay time was
significantly higher in patients with AF postoperatively (p value 0.03 and 0.02 respectively).
But duration of inotropic support, post-op CKMB levels and IABP use were not significantly
different in both groups. Conclusion: The incidence of post-operative Atrial Fibrillation is 13.5%
according to this study. And these patients were associated with increased risk of morbidity.