Atrial inflammation and atrial function after cardiac surgery: can we study it properly?

Atrial inflammation and atrial function after cardiac surgery: can we study it properly?

In the original DECS study [3], dexamethasone did not reduce the incidence of postoperative AF, suggesting that a single dose of dexamethasone cannot effectively ameliorate atrial inflammation, which is one of the presumed arrhythmogenic mechanisms. In line with that previous observation in the main DECS study, the present substudy shows that dexamethasone is not associated with preservation of...

Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Surgery: Where are we now?

OBJECTIVE To review: 1) Pathophysiology of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF); 2) Risk factors for POAF; 3) Prophylaxis of POAF; 4) Treatment of POAF; and 5) Future directions. METHODS We searched the Medline database for articles published between January, 1966 to September, 2008. We used the following keywords: Atrial fibrillation, Postoperative atrial fibrillation, Coronary Artery By...

Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.

trial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and it has been reported that the rate of occurrence is 18–40%.1–5 Various causes have been studied, including advanced age, body mass index, obesity, left atrial dimensions, cardiac dysfunction, chronic respiratory failure, renal dysfunction, fluid balance, preoperative medications, inflammation, and fib...

Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery

Inflammation of atrium after cardiac surgery is associated with inhomogeneity of atrial conduction and atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common after cardiac surgery. Abnormal conduction is an important substrate for AF. We hypothesized that atrial inflammation alters atrial conduction properties. METHODS AND RESULTS Normal mongrel canines (n=24) were divided into 4 groups consisting of anesthesia alone (control group); pericardiotomy (pericardiotomy group); lateral right atriotomy (atrio...