Improving Incidence of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery Using Simplified Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Objectives:Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) remains a major risk after cardiac surgery. Twelve percent patients admitted to this unit postcardiac surgery experienced POAF, which led to hemodynamic instability, increased risk of stroke, and increased length of postoperative intensive care unit stay. Our aim was to decrease the incidence of POAF in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit by the end of April 2014.Methods:Design—Retrospective data analysis. Settings—Postcardiac surgery intensive care in a tertiary hospital.Participants:Postcardiac surgery patients. Intervention—A clinical practice guideline (CPG) was developed to promote early prevention and to improve adherence to POAF prophylaxis recommendations. Patient’s charts were our key performance indicator. Primary outcome measure—Percentage of patients who developed episodes of POAF within the first 24 hours of cardiac surgery. Process measures—compliance with the newly developed CPG and early postoperative patient assessment. Balance measur...