Effect of bronchodilator treatment on the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery

Abstract Objective We sought to examine the effects of bronchodilator treatment on the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery. Methods A cross-sectional design using a retrospective chart review was performed in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Those who had previous atrial fibrillation or preoperative bronchodilator treatment were excluded from the final sample (n = 506). The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL) was used for statistical analyses. Results The incidence of POAF in this study was 27.9%, and was associated with age ( P < .01) and type of cardiac surgery ( P < .05), indicating that increasing age, and combined cardiac surgery were more likely to precipitate POAF. Bronchodilator treatment did not increase POAF. However, combined therapy significantly ( P < .01) precipitated more POAF (48.7%) than did albuterol (21.4%) or levalbuterol (18.5%). Conclusions Postoperative atrial fibrillation continues to be a common complication after cardiac surgery. Bronchodilator treatment with either albuterol or levalbuterol did not precipitate POAF, unless both agents were given to the same patients postoperatively.