Preoperative Atorvastatin Cuts Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Sept 27 - Treatment with atorvastatin for 7 days before elective cardiac surgery can reduce the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation, new research suggests.
This prophylactic measure "reduced the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation by 61% compared to patients who received placebo for 7 days," lead author Dr. Giuseppe Patti, from the Campus Bio-Medico University in Rome, said in a statement. Further studies are needed to determine if this is a class effect or something unique to atorvastatin, he added.
Results from observational studies first suggested an anti-atrial fibrillation effect for statin therapy, but data from randomized, controlled trials was lacking, according to the new report in the October 3rd issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
In the Atorvastatin for Reduction of Myocardial Dysrhythmia After cardiac surgery (ARMYDA-3) study, the investigators assessed the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in 200 patients who were randomized to atorvastatin (40 mg/day) or placebo for 7 days before undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. All of the subjects were statin-nave and did not have a history of atrial fibrillation.
Postoperative atrial fibrillation developed in 57% of control subjects compared with 35% of those given atorvastatin (p = 0.003), the report indicates. The average length of stay in the atorvastatin group was slightly, but significantly shorter: 6.9 vs. 6.3 days (p = 0.001).
Multivariate analysis showed that atorvastatin cut the risk of atrial fibrillation by 61%, the authors note. Conversely, high postoperative CRP levels were associated with a 100% increased risk of the arrhythmia.
The occurrence of major cardiac and cerebrovascular events was similar in each group, the researchers found.
The new findings make a strong case for "routine early initiation of atorvastatin treatment in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass," Dr. Patti concluded.
Circulation 2006
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Sept 27 - Treatment with atorvastatin for 7 days before elective cardiac surgery can reduce the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation, new research suggests.
This prophylactic measure "reduced the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation by 61% compared to patients who received placebo for 7 days," lead author Dr. Giuseppe Patti, from the Campus Bio-Medico University in Rome, said in a statement. Further studies are needed to determine if this is a class effect or something unique to atorvastatin, he added.
Results from observational studies first suggested an anti-atrial fibrillation effect for statin therapy, but data from randomized, controlled trials was lacking, according to the new report in the October 3rd issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
In the Atorvastatin for Reduction of Myocardial Dysrhythmia After cardiac surgery (ARMYDA-3) study, the investigators assessed the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in 200 patients who were randomized to atorvastatin (40 mg/day) or placebo for 7 days before undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. All of the subjects were statin-nave and did not have a history of atrial fibrillation.
Postoperative atrial fibrillation developed in 57% of control subjects compared with 35% of those given atorvastatin (p = 0.003), the report indicates. The average length of stay in the atorvastatin group was slightly, but significantly shorter: 6.9 vs. 6.3 days (p = 0.001).
Multivariate analysis showed that atorvastatin cut the risk of atrial fibrillation by 61%, the authors note. Conversely, high postoperative CRP levels were associated with a 100% increased risk of the arrhythmia.
The occurrence of major cardiac and cerebrovascular events was similar in each group, the researchers found.
The new findings make a strong case for "routine early initiation of atorvastatin treatment in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass," Dr. Patti concluded.
Circulation 2006
