Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: Do guidelines reflect the evidence?

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is common after cardiac surgery, affecting approximately 30% (range, 20%-40%) of patients.1 Typically, POAF develops beintervention, POAF usually resolves within 24 hours, such that approximately 90% of patients have regained sinus Medical management of atrial fibrillation (AF) rests on 2 coagulation (OAC) to reduce the risk for stroke and thromboembolism.4,5 Our assumption has been to treat POAF similarly; nonetheless, balancing stroke and thromboembolism risks with early perioperative bleeding risk remains problematic.