Effect of Ranolazine in Preventing Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Coronary Revascularization Surgery

Title:Effect of Ranolazine in Preventing Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Coronary Revascularization Surgery

Volume: 11 Issue: 6

Author(s): Georgios I. Tagarakis, Isaac Aidonidis, Stella S. Daskalopoulou, Vassilios Simopoulos, Vassilios Liouras, Marios E. Daskalopoulos, Charalampos Parisis, Kiriaki Papageorgiou, Ioannis Skoularingis, Filippos Triposkiadis, Paschalis-Adam Molyvdas and Nikolaos B. Tsilimingas

Affiliation:

Keywords: Ranolazine, atrial fibrillation, postoperative, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, prevention.

Abstract: Background/Objective: Ranolazine is a new anti-ischemic agent approved for chronic angina with additional electrophysiologic properties. The purpose of the present trial was to investigate its effect in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after on-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Methods: In the current prospective, randomized, (1 active: 2 control), single-blind (outcome assessors), single-centre clinical trial we recruited consecutive eligible patients scheduled for elective on-pump CABG. Participants were assigned to receive either oral ranolazine 375 mg twice daily for 3 days prior to surgery and until discharge, or to receive usual care. Patients were monitored for the development of POAF.

Results: We enrolled 102 patients. Significantly lower incidence of POAF was noted in the ranolazine group compared with the control group (3 out of 34 patients, 8.8%, vs 21 out of 68 patients, 30.8%; p< 0.001). Mean values of left atrial diameter and left ventricular ejection fraction between the control and the ranolazine group were not significantly different.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest a protective role of oral ranolazine when administered in a moderate dose preoperatively in patients undergoing on-pump CABG surgery. Future studies based on a wider sample of patients will eventually support our conclusions.

Cite this article as:

Tagarakis I. Georgios, Aidonidis Isaac, Daskalopoulou S. Stella, Simopoulos Vassilios, Liouras Vassilios, Daskalopoulos E. Marios, Parisis Charalampos, Papageorgiou Kiriaki, Skoularingis Ioannis, Triposkiadis Filippos, Molyvdas Paschalis-Adam and Tsilimingas B. Nikolaos, Effect of Ranolazine in Preventing Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Coronary Revascularization Surgery, Current Vascular Pharmacology 2013; 11 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157016111106140128123506