Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: to screen or not to screen?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is diagnosed in 20 –40% of patients in the first week after cardiac surgery and is largely self-limiting, with the majority of patients being discharged from hospital in sinus rhythm (SR). However, that is not the end of it. The rate of subsequent AF development is higher in cardiac surgery patients who experience A F during hospital admission compared to those who do not1; patients with postoperative AF also have a longer hospital stay, a higher long-term risk of stroke (both ischaemic and haemorrhagic) and worse overall prognosis.1 –5
Source: Cardiovascular Research - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research