What Researchers Did
Researchers described a case of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation occurring in a patient after hyperbaric oxygen therapy for carbon monoxide poisoning.
What They Found
They found that a 78-year-old female patient with carbon monoxide poisoning (carboxyhemoglobin 42.6%) developed atrial fibrillation immediately after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Her rhythm returned to normal sinus rhythm after amiodarone treatment.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, particularly for conditions like carbon monoxide poisoning, should be aware of potential cardiac complications. Physicians should consider monitoring electrocardiography before and after HBO treatment to detect new-onset atrial fibrillation.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it describes a single case from outside Canada.
Study Limitations
The primary limitation of this study is that it is a single case report, which limits generalizability of the findings.