This can help bring the heart rate down. Your healthcare provider may then try medicines to change the rhythm to normal. If these methods don't work, electrical cardioversion is often the next step. In other cases electrical cardioversion is the first recommended step. You may need an emergency electrical cardioversion right away if you have severe symptoms from your heart rhythm.
Although most people have a successful electrical cardioversion, it does have certain risks. Your own risks may vary based on your age, the type of abnormal heart rhythm you have, and your other medical conditions. Ask your healthcare provider about your risks. Rarely, the procedure causes a more dangerous heart rhythm.
If that happens, someone will give you medicines or a stronger electric shock to stop this rhythm. Some other risks are:. In certain situations, healthcare providers lower this last risk by giving medicines to help prevent clots blood thinners.
They give people these medicines before and after the procedure for some types of abnormal rhythms. In some cases, the cardioversion may not reset a normal heart rhythm. There is also a risk that you might go back to your abnormal rhythm shortly after your cardioversion. Some people take medicine before and after the procedure to help prevent this. Talk with your healthcare provider about what you should do to get ready for your electrical cardioversion.
You may need to avoid eating or drinking anything before midnight of the day of your procedure. Follow your healthcare provider's instructions about what medicines to take before the procedure.
This includes any medicines to prevent abnormal rhythms. Don't stop taking any medicine unless your healthcare provider tells you to do so.
You might need blood tests before the procedure to make sure the procedure is safe to do. If you are at higher risk of blood clots, your healthcare provider may want you to take anti-clotting medicine. These are commonly taken for several weeks before and after the procedure. Not everyone needs this medicine, but some people do. You are likely to need anti-clotting medicine if your abnormal rhythm has lasted more than 48 hours or if you have had a blood clot in the past.
Your doctor may recommend this treatment if: Your atrial fibrillation is not related to another heart problem. You have had only one episode of atrial fibrillation. You have symptoms that bother you a lot, such as shortness of breath. You have tried cardioversion before and it was a long time before atrial fibrillation came back. Compare your options. Compare Option 1 Try cardioversion Take medicines instead. Compare Option 2 Try cardioversion Take medicines instead.
Try cardioversion Try cardioversion A doctor or nurse gives you medicine to make you sleepy. You should not feel any pain. Your doctor puts patches on your chest or on your chest and back. Cardioversion itself takes about 5 minutes. But the whole procedure, including recovery, will probably take 30 to 45 minutes. You may take an anticoagulant medicine before and after cardioversion. Cardioversion restores normal heart rhythm for most people. Stroke is the most serious risk. The procedure might not work.
You may not stay in normal rhythm for long. Atrial fibrillation returns in many people. You can get small burns where the patches were placed. Take medicines instead Take medicines instead You take medicines to slow your heart rate. You take an anticoagulant medicine to prevent stroke. Rate-control medicines keep many people from having symptoms.
Anticoagulants lower the risk of stroke. If medicines don't work, you can decide to have cardioversion then. Many of the medicines have side effects, such as serious bleeding, fatigue, headache, dizziness, and nausea. And many of them interact with other medicines. Personal stories about cardioversion These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. What matters most to you? Reasons to try cardioversion Reasons not to try cardioversion.
The idea of having an electrical shock doesn't bother me. I'm scared at the idea of having an electrical shock. My symptoms bother me a lot.
My symptoms don't really bother me. I'd rather take medicines than have cardioversion. I'm not worried about the risk of a stroke from cardioversion. I'm worried about the risk of a stroke from cardioversion. My other important reasons: My other important reasons:. Where are you leaning now? Trying cardioversion NOT trying cardioversion.
What else do you need to make your decision? Check the facts. Yes Sorry, that's wrong. Cardioversion doesn't work as well when you also have another heart disease or when you have had atrial fibrillation for a long time. No You're right. Cardioversion doesn't work as well when you also have another heart disease or when you have had atrial fibrillation for a longtime. I'm not sure It may help to go back and read "Get the Facts. Why It Is Done Cardioversion may be used as an emergency procedure to stop a fast heart rate that is causing low blood pressure or severe symptoms.
How Well It Works Electrical cardioversion of the heart is very effective. Risks Risks of the procedure include the following: A blood clot may become dislodged from the heart and cause a stroke.
Your doctor will try to decrease this risk by using anticoagulants or other measures. The procedure may not work. Additional cardioversion or other treatment may be needed.
Antiarrhythmic medicines used before and after cardioversion or even the cardioversion itself may cause a life-threatening irregular heartbeat.
You can have a reaction to the sedative given before the procedure. Harmful reactions are rare. You can get a small area of burn on your skin where the paddles or patches are placed. What To Think About Cardioversion is only a temporary fix for a fast heart rate. After a brief conversation with cardiovascular electrophysiologist Jeffrey Osborn, MD, he got the process started by giving me some lidocaine to gurgle, swish, and swallow.
That helped numb my throat for the TEE. At the same time, fluids were hooked up to my IV and medications were started to help sedate me for the procedure. The last thing I remember was the doctor asking me to lay on my left side and a nurse placing a pillow behind me to help keep me on my side. I started to feel a little sleepy and shut my eyes, and when I opened them, almost everyone had left the room and my heart rate was hovering around a consistent 90 beats per minute. I was told the TEE was a success, and after sharing a tweet from my personal account that everything went well, Dr.
During the next hour, I looked to see what had been shared on Twitter while I was sedated so I could get a better idea of what happened. After going into light sedation, the scope was inserted into my esophagus and images were taken of my heart, which showed it was healthy other than the abnormal rhythm and I had no blood clots.
Once that was completed, joules of electricity shocked my heart back into rhythm. I knew I was working with an amazing team of heart experts from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute, and they did everything possible to help me understand the procedure, know what to expect, and ultimately return to doing what I love without worrying about an abnormal rhythm or getting easily winded… although my wife has banned me from running any 5ks in the future.
Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based, not-for-profit system of 24 hospitals includes "virtual" hospital , a Medical Group with more than 2, physicians and advanced practice clinicians at about clinics, a health plans division called SelectHealth, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in clinical quality improvement and efficient healthcare delivery.
Which should I choose?
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