Cardioversion
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Cardioversion from a Patient's Perspective
Not too long ago, I underwent cardioversion. Almost a year had passed between the time the cardiologist diagnosed AFib (Atrial Fibrillation) and recommended cardioversion, to the time I finally broke down and had it done.
To put it quite simply, I was chicken ... scared out of my mind. I should add this fear was based on absolutely nothing. Just something about having electrodes attached to my chest and an electrical charge sent through my heart just didn't seem like something I wanted to do. I put it off and put it off looking for something, anything that would either correct the AFib or provide me with a good excuse for not doing it. Needless to say it was a miserable, anxiety…
Resources
What to Expect From Electrical Cardioversion
: First, to avoid having blood clots break free during this procedure, you may take anticoagulants (warfarin, Coumadin®, or one of the NOAC -non-VKA oral anticoagulants) for three to four weeks before the procedure to eliminate your risk of blood clots.
Cardioversion: Past, Present, and Future
Recent years have seen rapid proliferation of ablative and antiarrhythmic therapies for treating various ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias. Yet cardioversion and defibrillation remain the main modalities to restore normal sinus rhythm. Their simplicity, reliability, safety, and, most important, their efficacy in promptly restoring normal sinus rhythm are unmatched in our current treatment armamentarium.
Shocking AF — What’s the rush?
If I had just one thing to say to patients and doctors about the disease atrial fibrillation it would be this: Be as scared of AF treatment as you are of the disease.
Use of Transesophageal Echocardiography to Guide Cardioversion in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
The conventional treatment strategy for patients with atrial fibrillation who are to undergo electrical cardioversion is to prescribe warfarin for anticoagulation for three weeks before cardioversion. It has been proposed that if transesophageal echocardiography reveals no atrial thrombus, cardioversion may be performed safely after only a short period of anticoagulant therapy.
Cardioversion from a Patient's Perspective
Not too long ago, I underwent Cardioversion. Almost a year had passed between the time the cardiologist diagnosed AFib (Atrial Fibrillation) and recommended Cardioversion, to the time I finally broke down and had it done. To put it quite simply, I was chicken ... scared out of my mind.
Bupa
There are different types of arrhythmia that can be treated with cardioversion. These include atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and ventricular tachycardia. Cardioversion isn’t suitable for everyone. Whether it’s right for you will depend on how long you’ve had arrhythmia, your symptoms and your medical history.
Cleveland Clinic
Cardioversion is a procedure in which an electrical shock is delivered to the heart to convert an irregular or fast heart rhythm (called an arrhythmia) to a normal heart rhythm. During cardioversion, your doctor uses a cardioverter machine to send electrical energy (or a ''shock'') to the heart muscle to restore the normal heart rhythm.
MedlinePlus
Cardioversion is a method to restore a rapid heart beat back to normal. Cardioversion is used in persons who have heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias), which can cause the heart to beat too fast.
UpToDate
Cardioversion is used to treat different types of disruptions in the normal heart rhythm (also called cardiac arrhythmias). During cardioversion, an electrical shock is delivered to the heart to restore its rhythm to a normal pattern. The electrical energy can be delivered externally, with electrodes placed on the chest or directly to the heart by placing paddles on the heart during an open chest surgery.
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