Table 3. Summary of practical recommendations and appropriate candidates.

Phase of care	Treatment/intervention	POAF prevention	AF/POAF treatment	Stroke prevention
Preoperative	Oral beta-blocker	XX
	Preoperative amiodarone in patients at high risk of POAF	XX
	Perioperative amiodarone	XX
Intraoperative	Posterior pericardiotomy	XX
	Surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation		XX	XX
	Surgical occlusion of the LAA may be considered in patients with AF undergoing cardiac surgery as part of the overall heart team approach			XX
Postoperative	Beta-blocker for rate control		XX
	Nondihydropyridine calcium channel blocker for rate control		XX
	Restoration of sinus rhythm by electrical cardioversion of antiarrhythmic drugs recommended for POAF with hemodynamic instability		XX
	Asymptomatic AF initially managed with rate control and anticoagulation		XX
	Long-term anticoagulation should be considered in patients with POAF, considering individual stroke and bleeding risk			XX
	Antiarrhythmic drugs or cardioversion for symptomatic POAF to restore NSR		XX
	Prophylactic sotalol to prevent POAF after cardiac surgery	XX
	Colchicine to reduce POAF	XX

XX indicates that the guidelines include this recommendation. POAF, postoperative atrial fibrillation; AF, atrial fibrillation; LAA, left atrial appendage; NSR, normal sinus rhythm.