An effective treatment for prevention and impediment of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery

Atrial fibrillation is a common rhythm disorders after open heart surgery and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Advanced age, hypertension, COPD are known to be the causes of postoperative atrial fibrillation. However, reactive oxygen radicals formed after open heart surgery have been shown to be involved in the etiology of AF. Besides its expectorant feature, NAC is a molecule known to be an antioxidant. In this retrospective study, we compared the incidence of postoperative AF and onset time of AF in patients who used preoperatively NAC because of COPD and who did not use NAC. In this study, the incidence of atrial fibrillation was significantly lower in patients using NAC preoperatively. Also onset time of AF was significantly longer in patients who used NAC.