Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition or mineralocorticoid receptor blockade do not affect prevalence of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study tested the hypothesis that interruption of the renin-angiotensin system with either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist will decrease the prevalence of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.

Design

Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study.

Setting

University-affiliated hospitals.

Patients

Four hundred forty-five adult patients in normal sinus rhythm undergoing elective cardiac surgery.

Interventions

One week to 4 days prior to surgery, patients were randomized to treatment with placebo, ramipril (2.5 mg the first 3 days followed by 5 mg/day, with the dose reduced to 2.5 mg/day on the first postoperative day only), or spironolactone (25 mg/day).

Measurements

The prim

SUBMITTER: Pretorius M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3588582 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature