St Vincents Private Hospitals

How does it work?

Electrical cardioversion works by sending electrical impulses to your heart in order to shock it back into rhythm. These signals are sent through electrodes that are attached to your chest. It is usually a quick procedure as the heart normally responds immediately. Sometimes the heart may take longer to respond, and the rhythm could return some days or weeks later. Chemical cardioversion works by using medicine to retore the rhythm. The medication works by relaxing your heart muscle and reducing the strain on your heart, as well as slowing down the electrical signals that tell your heart when to beat.

Why is it performed?

If your heart condition is not responding to medication, your doctor may recommend cardioversion as a way to reset the heart rhythm. It is commonly used to treat heart disorders such as atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, where the electrical signals are not travelling properly through the upper chambers of the heart.

Procedure

Patients are given a type of anaesthetic so that the procedure is entirely pain free and you are asleep throughout. Electrodes are placed on your chest and connected back to a defibrillator machine that will send out the electric shocks. The machine will also monitor your heart activity throughout the procedure. One or more low-energy electric currents are sent to your heart to shock it back into rhythm. You will be monitored for several hours after the procedure to assess your heart and check for any side effects. Chemical cardioversion is usually done in a hospital using oral medication.

Recovery

After your procedure, you are likely to be able to return home the same day and should be able to return to normal activities within a few days. If the condition returns, cardioversion can be repeated, or your doctor may consider another treatment pathway.