Post-Trauma Atrial Fibrillation

July 7, 2021

Patients over the age of 65 are the fastest growing trauma patient population. Many of these patients have comorbidities such as hypertension and heart disease, which may contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in this setting. In older patients, atrial fibrillation is a particularly important risk following trauma, one that complicates clinical management. Stress, high cortisol levels, valvular heart disease, and other factors may be to blame.

Marco and colleagues used a case-control study—“Predictors of new-onset atrial fibrillation in geriatric trauma patients”—to evaluate the associations between new-onset atrial fibrillation and the clinical characteristics of trauma patients admitted to the hospital over the age of 65.

Review the article before you answer the question.

Of the following factors, which did they find increased the risk of developing new-onset atrial fibrillation?

A) Patient history of hypertension or dyslipidemia

B) Patient history of diabetes

C) Patient history of excessive alcohol use

D) Patient history of sleep apnea

E) Male sex

F) All of the above

None