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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
Diltiazem versus amiodarone to prevent atrial fibrillation in coronary surgery
Dimitrios Mikroulis1, Vassilios Didilis, Fotios Konstantinou
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, General University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis P.C. 68100, Greece. dmikrou@med.duth.gr
Abstract:
The prophylactic effect of amiodarone on atrial fibrillation after coronary bypass grafting with extracorporeal circulation was compared with that of diltiazem in two groups of 60 patients each. Patients were monitored continuously for 8 days. The incidence of atrial fibrillation was recorded retrospectively in a control group of 60 patients who received our standard prophylactic regimen of an oral beta blocker. The incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation was not significantly different in the two test groups: 11.7% for the amiodarone group and 10% for the diltiazem group. The incidence of atrial fibrillation in the control group was 23.3% and the differences were marginally significant when compared to the amiodarone ( p = 0.093) and diltiazem groups ( p = 0.050). The prophylactic use of diltiazem or amiodarone is feasible and safe for patients undergoing coronary bypass, with similar rates of atrial fibrillation.
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