Model-based directional analysis of cardiovascular variability identifies patients developing atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting

Patients who developed atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery exhibited lower degree of dependence of systolic arterial pressure (SAP) on heart period (HP) as measured by logCRHP→SAP than those who did not (noAF). Similar differentiation was obtained by measuring the degree of dependence of HP on SAP as logCRSAP→HP. Results suggest that having a more preserved cardiovascular interactions before CABG surgery assured by more active physiological control mechanisms limited the postoperative risk of AF (see text).58