The influence of the metabolic syndrome on atrial fibrillation occurrence and outcome after coronary bypass surgery: a 3-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate the influence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) on new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF), and occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in a period of 3 years after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. METHODOLOGY: The study included 460 patients who underwent the first CABG operation without baseline atrial fibrillation. The MS was defined by the presence of three or more Adult Treatment Panel (ATP)-American Heart Association (AHA)- National Heart, Lung, and Blood (NHLB) Institute criteria. POAF was diagnosed by continuous electrocardiographic monitoring during the first 48 to 72 hours after CABG. All the patients were followed up for at least 3 years after surgery. RESULTS: The MS and its criteria were significantly associated with POAF and MACCE occurrence in the 3-year period after isolated CABG surgery. Among the MS risk factors, hypertension, abdominal obesity, and the increased fasting glucose level were independently associated with both POAF and MACCE onset in the observed patients. Individuals with four or five MS criteria have similar risk of POAF or MACCE as individuals with three MS criteria. In the 3-year period of follow-up, the MS was proven to be associated with MACCE occurrence, independently of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity defined by body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: The MS and its criteria significantly increased risk of POAF and MACCE in a 3-year period. The MS, irrespective of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, was associated with POAF and MACCE in the patients who underwent CABG.

Preoperative preparation of patients with cardiomyopathies in non-cardiac surgery.

Cardiomyopathies are myocardial diseases in which there is structural and functional disorder of the heart muscle, in the absence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, valvular disease and congenital heart disease. Cardiomyopathies are grouped into specific morphological and functional phenotypes: dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and unclassified cardiomyopathies. Patients with dilated and hypertrophic cardiomypathy are prone to the development of congestive heart failure in the perioperative period. Also, patients with hypertrophic and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy are prone to arrhythmias in the perioperative period. Preoperative evaluation includes history, physical examination, ECG, chest radiography, complete blood count, electrolytes, creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, glucose, liver enzymes, urin analysis, BNP and echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular function. Drug therapy should be optimized and continued preoperatively. Surgery should be delayed (unless urgent) in patients with decompensated or untreated cardiomyopathy. Preoperative evaluation requires integrated multidisciplinary approach of anesthesiologists, cardiologist and surgeons.