A procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat by applying an electrical impulse to the chest wall.
Reestablishment of heart rhythm by means of electric shock. Typically used in abnormal but not acutely life-threatening rhythm disorders, such as rapid atrial fibrillation. In more acute situations, defibrillation is used.
Use of electrical countershock to restore regular heart rhythm.
A procedure in which an electrical shock is administered to the heart in an attempt to restore an abnormal heart rhythm to normal. Cardioversion is similar to the emergency procedure known as defibrillation, except that it uses a smaller amount of electricity, is rarely used in an emergency, and is applied most often to cardiac arrhythmias (heartbeat abnormalities) that are not immediately life-threatening. Cardioversion is a standard treatment for atrial fibrillation (the upper chambers of the heart quiver rather than contract, causing an abnormally fast and rapid heartbeat) and ventricular tachycardia (a fast heartbeat that begins in the lower heart chambers rather than the upper; ventricular). In chemical cardioversion, medications are used in place of electric shock to produce the same effect on an abnormal heartbeat.
A method of restoring the normal rhythm of the heart in patients with increased heart rate due to arrhythmia. A controlled direct-current shock, synchronized with the R wave of the electrocardiograph, is given through electrodes placed on the chest wall of the anesthetized patient. The apparatus used is called a cardiovertor and is a modified defibrillator.
Cardioversion, or defibrillation, is indicated in patients with ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia (fast or irregular heartbeat) if other treatments have failed. A general anaesthetic is given if the patient is conscious, following which a carefully timed direct-current shock is applied to the patient’s chest wall using a defibrillator. The patient’s ECG rhythm should then be monitored and anticoagulants considered, as the risk of emboli is increased.
The restoration of normal sinus rhythm by chemical or electrical means. When performed medicinally, the procedure relies on the oral or intravenous administration of antiarrhythmic drugs. Electrical cardioversion relies instead on the delivery of synchronized shock of direct electrical current across the chest wall. It is used to terminate arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, supraventricular tachycardia, and well-tolerated ventricular tachycardia. Unlike defibrillation, which is an unsynchronized shock applied during dire emergencies, electrical cardioversion is timed to avoid the T wave of cardiac repolarization to avoid triggering malignant arrhythmias. A patient will almost always require sedation and analgesia before the procedure.
The administration of an electric shock to the heart is employed to reinstate a regular rhythm. This procedure aims to restore the heart’s natural electrical activity, enabling it to resume its normal and coordinated contractions.