Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac surgery is performed on hundreds of thousands of patients a year. This text is designed to aid health care professionals in the treatment of their patients in the recovery period after cardiac surgery, and to instigate additional research efforts to limit the occurrence of, and the complications following, this postoperative arrhythmia.

New methods of achieving prompt cardioversion with minimal disruption of patient care, and prevention of the thromboembolic complications of atrial fibrillation, are also important therapeutic initiatives. This text is designed to aid health care professionals in the treatment of their patients in the recovery period after cardiac surgery, and to instigate additional research efforts to limit the occurrence of, and the complications following, this tenacious postoperative arrhythmia.

Preface. Acknowledgement. Index. 1. Experimental Animal
Models of Atrial Arrhythmias and their Relevance to Postoperative
Atrial Arrhythmias that Occur in Humans Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

G.K. Feld. 2. Understanding the Pathophysiology of
Atrial Fibrillation From Clinical Observations
S.E. Mattson,
L.I. Ganz. 3. Incidence, Timing and Outcome of Atrial
Tachyarrhythmias After Cardiac Surgery
L.B. Mitchell. 4.
Risk Factors for the Development of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation

F.A. Ehlert, et al. 5. The Impact of Atrial Fibrillation
on Hospital Length Of Stay After Cardiac Surgery
J.E. Tamis,
J.S. Steinberg. 6. Prophylactic Value of Beta Blockers

J.E. Sanchez, A.E. Epstein. 7. Antiarrhythmic
Therapy to Prevent Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Surgery
B.P.
Knight, F. Morady. 8. Nonpharmacologic Treatment of
Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation
R.J. Lewis, J.S. Steinberg.
9. Therapeutic Options for Established or Recurrent Atrial
Fibrillation: Focus on Antithrombotic Therapy
J.H. McAnulty, J.
Kron. 10. Atrial Fibrillation after Noncardiac Surgery

D.D. Narula, J.S. Steinberg.