According to information from a new study which was posted on Medscape.com, postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF), which occurs frequently after cardiothoracic surgery, is not linked to intraoperative sodium nitroprusside use.

Post-op AF has already been linked to increases in morbidity, mortality and cost. This is why researchers decided to study patients who are undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Their goal was to see if there was a decreased risk of POAF when patients were given sodium nitroprusside. For the study, researchers analyzed data collected from 1025 patients aged 18 years and older who had undergone cardiac surgery between April 2007 and July 2010. The patients who had a history of AF and who had the cardiothoracic surgery, or those that were undergoing surgical treatment for their AF, were not analyzed in the study.

What the researchers found was that of the patients who were analyzed and given sodium nitroprusside, 25.4 percent of them developed POAF vs. 27.9 percent of the patients in the control group. This study seemed to show that there was no significant link between the use of sodium nitroprusside during cardiothoracic surgery and POAF.

AF is a heart condition that causes irregular heartbeats and fluttering. Numerous medications have been used to try to stave off recurrences of AF and prevent stroke. One of those medications is Multaq, made by Sanofi-Aventis. Multaq has been linked to liver failure and worsening of the heart condition; because of this, the drug is only recommended for use if other medications for AF treatment fails.

If you or a loved one has suffered from liver failure or a worsening heart condition after being treated with Multaq, contact the attorneys at Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced at fighting Multaq lawsuits and may be able to help you recover money for your injuries.