Galante A, Pietroiusti A, Cavazzini C, Magrini A, Bergamaschi A, Sciarra L, Chartouni G, Legramante JM, Carta S. Incidence and risk factors associated with cardiac arrhythmias during rehabilitation after coronary artery bypass surgery. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2000;81:947-52. Objective: To evaluate the clinical relevance of cardiac arrhythmias during rehabilitation after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Design: Survey of consecutive patients admitted to an inpatient cardiac rehabilitation center. Setting: A rehabilitation center acting as a reference for cardiology clinics lacking this facility. The program was performed in the inpatient setting. Patients: Two hundred sixty patients undergoing elective CABG surgery for angina. Interventions: Four-week cardiac rehabilitation program. A 24-hour electrocardiographic examination was performed during the first 2 days and, subsequently, on a daily basis. Main Outcome Measures: Incidence and type of cardiac arrhythmias during rehabilitation; identification of factors associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias. Results: Cardiac arrhythmias were recorded in 33.5% of the patients and were more frequent in patients with hypertension (47%), diabetes (42.4%), and hyperlipidemia (36.5%), compared with patients free from these diseases (15.5%) (p < .05). Arrhythmias were also recorded in patients older than 70 years (49%), compared with those younger (29.2%) (p < .01), and in patients who discontinued amiodarone (64.3%) compared with those who did not interrupt the drug (16%) (p < .005). Arrhythmias precluded rehabilitation in 5% of the patients and caused death in one patient. Conclusion: Surveillance for the development of cardiac arrhythmias during cardiac rehabilitation after CABG surgery may allow the early detection and treatment of arrhythmias in a substantial number of patients.