Diastolic Dysfunction and Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Coronary Revascularization Surgery

Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is a common manifestation of heart disease that is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality.It is present when the ventricular filling is impaired as a result of delayed relaxation or decreased compliance. During Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, LV diastolic dysfunction is a frequent occurrence. Failure of the left ventricle to dilate normally causes an increase in LV filling pressure. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication after cardiac surgery affecting 20-30% of patients undergoing coronary revascularization procedures. AF is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and has been identified as a causative factor of increased length of both hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay after CABG surgery, resulting in increased resource utilization and medical care costs.The primary aim of this study is to determine if patients with preoperative diastolic dysfunction are exposed to higher risk of AF after coronary revascularization surgery.