Frequency of Atrial Fibrillation after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in an Asian Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: Post-surgical atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmic complication of coronary artery bypass surgery. However, mostly it is thought to be a benign and self-limiting problem, but it has also been observed that it is a serious complication and can raise the number of complications after bypass surgery.

Aims: To assess the frequency of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Cardiology, Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Lahore, between February 2018 and August 2018.

Methodology: 145 patients who fulfilled the selection criteria were enrolled in the study. The type of CABG (on-pump or off-pump) was noted from the medical record. Then patients were evaluated by an ECG monitor. If P waves were absent, with disorganized electrical activity in their place, and irregular R-R intervals due to irregular conduction of impulses to the ventricles and heart rate>100bpm, then atrial fibrillation was labeled.

Results: The mean age of patients was 53.08±8.80 years. There were 84(57.9%) males and 61(42.1%) were females. There were 61(42.1%) patients with 2 vessels involved while among 84(57.9%) patients triple vessels were involved. There were 86(59.3%) with On-pump CABG and 59(40.7%) with off-Pump CABG. There were 71(49%) patients with follow-up atrial fibrillation and 74(51%) have no followed up atrial fibrillation. There was no significant association between atrial fibrillation and age group as the p-value was not significant.

Conclusion: CABG is associated with a higher frequency of atrial fibrillation after CABG as in our study the frequency was 49%.