Assessment of new onset postcoronary artery bypass surgery atrial fibrillation: current practice pattern review and the development of treatment guidelines

• Published in: Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 21 - 37
• Main Authors: Thompson, A. E., Hirsch, G. M., Pearson, G. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.02.2002; Blackwell
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents - therapeutic use; atrial fibrillation; Atrial Fibrillation - etiology; Atrial Fibrillation - prevention & control; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular system; coronary artery bypass; Coronary Artery Bypass - adverse effects; Female; Health Care Surveys; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Postoperative Complications; practice guidelines; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Practice Patterns, Physicians; quality assurance; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Retrospective Studies; thoracic surgery; treatment guidelines; Human; Cardiotonic agent; Arrhythmia; Toxicity; Atrial fibrillation; Coronary artery; Cardiovascular disease; Review; Antiarrhythmic agent; Excitability disorder; Retrospective; Incidence; Prevention; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Heart disease; Surgery; Complication; Graft; Circulatory system; Beta blocking agent
• ISSN: 0269-4727; 1365-2710
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2710.2002.00383.x

Background: The incidence of postcoronary artery bypass graft (CABG) atrial fibrillation (AF) is 22·5% at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and the mean length of stay is 5·5 days greater than for those patients who do not experience this complication. Appropriate pharmacological management is important to prevent the potential morbidity from AF, such as thromboembolism, congestive heart failure, cardiogenic shock and coronary ischemia. This project compared current practice patterns in the management of post‐CABG AF with local practice pattern beliefs and evidence from the primary literature. Subsequently, treatment guidelines were designed to help guide a rationale treatment approach. Objective: To promote appropriate treatment strategies for post‐CABG AF and increase local practitioner awareness of drug‐use outcomes by developing consensus treatment guidelines. Design: There were three phases. In phase 1, a retrospective chart analysis of 35 post‐CABG AF patients over three consecutive months was conducted to assess current practice patterns. All published studies on this subject were also collected and analysed. A survey of pharmacological treatment preferences was distributed to local stakeholders during phase 2. The third phase involved the development and implementation of treatment guidelines. Results: This study identified a highly variable approach to the treatment of post‐CABG AF. The mean number of agents used to treat AF post‐CABG was two (range 1–4); all patients (100%) were prescribed rate‐controlling agents and 37% were prescribed an antiarrhythmic drug. There was also a mismatch between practice pattern beliefs and actual practice. Conclusions: This reinforced the need for a consistent treatment approach that was facilitated with the development and implementation of local guidelines.