In atrial fibrillation, very fast, irregular electrical signals move through both of the upper chambers of your heart. This can make your heartbeat fast and irregular. But others feel:. Cardioversion also treats other kinds of abnormal heartbeats, including atrial flutter , atrial tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia.
Cardioversion or defibrillation is also used in emergency situations for people who suffer sudden life threatening arrhythmias. Cardioversion may knock loose a blood clot in your left atrium. If the clot embolus travels to your brain, it can cause a stroke.
To avoid this, your doctor may give you medicine such as warfarin to make your blood less likely to form blood clots.
Transesophageal echocardiography TEE is often used to check for the presence of blood clots before this procedure. Doctors and nurses perform cardioversion in a hospital or clinic. If medicines bring back your normal rhythm, you may not need electrical cardioversion.
If you need electrical cardioversion, it may be done right away or scheduled for another day. When I woke up, they told me my heart rhythm returned to normal within 5 minutes. You can usually go back to your normal activities soon after cardioversion, using only medicines. For a few days after electrical cardioversion, the skin on your chest and back may be irritated where the paddles were placed. Ask your doctor about creams or medicines that can help.
Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff. About Arrhythmia. Why Arrhythmia Matters. Understand Your Risk for Arrhythmia. Symptoms, Diagnosis and Monitoring of Arrhythmia. Cardioversion is usually a scheduled procedure that's performed in a hospital. You should be able to go home the same day as your procedure. For most people, cardioversion quickly restores a normal heart rhythm.
Cardioversion can correct a heartbeat that's too fast tachycardia or irregular fibrillation. Cardioversion is usually done to treat people who have atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. These conditions occur when the electrical signals that normally make your heart beat at a regular rate don't travel properly through the upper chambers of your heart. Cardioversion is usually done with electric shocks, which are given through electrodes attached to your chest while you're sedated.
Electric cardioversion allows your doctor to instantly see if the procedure has restored a normal heartbeat. Electric cardioversion takes less time than cardioversion done solely with medications. If your doctor recommends cardioversion with medications to restore your heart's rhythm, you won't receive electric shocks to your heart.
Cardioversion is different from defibrillation, an emergency procedure that's performed when your heart stops or quivers uselessly. Defibrillation delivers more powerful shocks to the heart to correct its rhythm.
Complications of electric cardioversion are uncommon. Your doctor can take steps to reduce your risk. Major risks of cardioversion include:. Dislodged blood clots. Some people who have irregular heartbeats have blood clots in their hearts.
Electric cardioversion can cause these blood clots to move to other parts of your body. This can cause life-threatening complications, such as a stroke or a blood clot traveling to your lungs. If necessary, your doctor may prescribe blood-thinning medications before the procedure or will check for blood clots in your heart before cardioversion. Cardioversion can be done during pregnancy, but it's recommended that the baby's heartbeat be monitored during the procedure.
Cardioversion procedures are usually scheduled in advance. However, if your symptoms are severe, you may need to have cardioversion in an emergency setting. If you have mainly been working with a primary care physician or cardiologist, it might be time to talk to someone more specialized.
Cardiac electrophysiologists are specifically trained in the mechanism and performance of electrical activities in the heart. Not quite sure where to start looking for an electrophysiologist?
Ask your physician, or check out the treatment teams at Penn to find highly qualified electrophysiologists. Arrhythmias can be treated in a number of ways. Supple, MD , an electrophysiologist at Penn Medicine. Your mental and physical health can play a big role in arrhythmias, including your diet and exercise routines.
However, some types of arrhythmia increases your risk of stroke, cardiac arrest and heart attack. It is important to work with your physician to figure out what type of arrhythmia you have. Supple says. We have better tools, can treat more forms of arrhythmia, and can do it safely. Keep talking to your cardiologist.
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