, 1993). Patients with a clinical history of AF were found to have a significantly longer intra-atrial and inter-atrial conduction time of sinus impulses (Centurion et al
, 2000). Research demonstrates that inflammatory markers are particularly increased in patients that exhibit post operative atrial fibrillation (Chung, et al
It is not difficult to imagine how a properly timed impulse may encounter refractory tissue in some areas and normal tissues in others after the trauma of surgery (Saltman, 2004). Atrial fibrillation can be heralded by frequent premature atrial contractions and bursts of atrial tachychardia (Frost et al
Body mass index and alcohol use were not found to be factors in the development of AF in this study in the original analysis. However, a reexamination of the cohorts used in the study did reveal a correlation between atrial fibrillation and obesity (Iacobellis, 2005)
A meta analysis of studies regarding the effectiveness of post operative treatments for AF revealed that the most common monitoring regime currently being used is ECG or Holter recordings while in the ICU. After ICI discharge daily ECG or predischarge (Jansen et al
Those that developed post operative atrial fibrillation were found to have larger sized myolytic valves than those that maintained a normal rhythm. In a study of patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery there was no difference between those that had on-pump and off-pump procedures (Mariscalco, 2006)
Atrial Fibrillation as a Post Operative Complication Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Surgery Atrial fibrillation represents a serious post-operative complication in many types of heart surgery. Nearly 40% of all patients undergoing coronary and valve surgery experience this side effect (Saltman, 2004)
Atrial Fibrillation as a Post Operative Complication Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Surgery Atrial fibrillation represents a serious post-operative complication in many types of heart surgery. Nearly 40% of all patients undergoing coronary and valve surgery experience this side effect (Saltman, 2004)
Atrial Fibrillation as a Post Operative Complication Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Surgery Atrial fibrillation represents a serious post-operative complication in many types of heart surgery. Nearly 40% of all patients undergoing coronary and valve surgery experience this side effect (Saltman, 2004)
Monitoring techniques have revealed several indicators that the patient may be at an increased risk for developing AF. However, there is still no definitive consensus as to the electrocardiographic characteristics that predict the development of post operative AF (Terranova et al
2002 study revealed that the presence of AF after surgery increased the average hospital stay by a total of 5.5 days (Thompson et al
In some cases the monitoring may be continued beyond the hospital stay for 30 (Guarnieri et al., 1999) up to 90 days (Weber et al
In addition, atrial fibrillation is more prevalent as people grow older and the condition represents one of the five leading causes of heart failure in 95% of cases in industrialized nations (Roncoli, 2010). It is noteworthy that both the prevalence as well as the incidence and mortality rates for this age-related condition have experienced sustained increases over the past several decades as a result of growing numbers of elderly adults in the United States (Dowling, 2015)
63 Short-term vs. Long-term Therapeutic Approach Short-term pharmacological interventions are limited in their ability to maintain normal sinus rhythm due (a) to the limited long-term effectiveness of medications, (b) the risk of triggering ventricular arrhythmias, and (c) the risk of long-term adverse effects from medication use (Gutierrez and Blanchard, 2011, p
Some of the common causes of atrial fibrillation include the following: High blood pressure; Heart attacks; Coronary artery disease; Abnormal heart valves; Congenital heart defects; An overactive thyroid gland or other metabolic imbalance; and, Exposure to stimulants, such as medications, caffeine or tobacco, or to alcohol (Atrial defibrillation, 2015). In addition, a growing body of research indicates that increased ambient pollution and ozone levels can trigger atrial fibrillations in some people (Rich and Mittleman, 2006)
At present, atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice and the condition is a risk factor for stroke and premature mortality (Rich & Mittleman, 2006). Prevalence and Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation Although it remains unclear whether atrial fibrillation is the result or cause of heart failure in some patients, the condition has been found to be more prevalent in individual who suffer from preserved systolic dysfunction (Roncoli, 2010)
. Long-term interventions such as anticoagulant therapy are more appropriate for recurrent or chronic atrial fibrillation (Wilansky and Willerson, 2009)