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Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines For Perioperative Use Of Dexmedetomidine In Pediatric Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Kayla Thomsen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Tachyarrhythmias are common postoperatively in the congenital cardiac surgery population. About 1% of the population is born with congenital heart disease (CHD), with 50% of patients undergoing surgery for CHD experiencing arrhythmias. Complications can arise from postoperative arrhythmias, including hemodynamic instability and myocardial depression, having catastrophic health repercussions. Despite the high prevalence and complications, there is no standard practice for postoperative tachyarrhythmia prevention in the chosen population, and prevention is at the provider's discretion. However, literature exploring the effects of dexmedetomidine notes promising results for using the drug for postoperative tachyarrhythmia prevention. The project aims to address the lack of …