Cardioversion
If you have an
irregular heart rhythm such as atrial
fibrillation your doctor may want you to have a procedure
called cardioversion.
Cardioversion aims to get your abnormal heart
rhythm back to normal.
You will be given a short-acting
general anaesthetic or heavy sedation so you will
be asleep throughout the procedure.
A doctor or nurse will put
electrodes, stuck to large sticky pads, on your
chest. The electrodes are connected to a defibrillator
machine and will give you one or more controlled electric
shocks to your chest wall. The whole procedure usually lasts about
10 minutes.
The defibrillator monitors your heart rhythm
throughout the procedure so the medical staff can see straight away
if the cardioversion was successful.
You will usually only need to go to hospital
for part of the day, although some people need to stay overnight.
Complications are not common and if you
experience any side effects after the cardioversion, they will
usually be temporary. You may get headaches and dizziness which may
be the result of a drop in your blood pressure.
Feeling sick can be common after an
anaesthetic. You may also feel a small amount of discomfort in your
chest, where the shock was given, after the cardioversion.
Is it successful?
Cardioversion doesn’t always restore normal
heart rhythm. Sometimes it’s successful to start with, but then
your abnormal heart rhythm comes back several days, weeks or even
months later. If this happens, your doctor may want to repeat the
cardioversion or they may consider another treatment for you.
Who can I talk to?
It’s natural to feel worried when you have a new procedure, but
it often helps to talk about your feelings with someone close to
you or with a healthcare professional.
If you have any questions, talk to your doctor or call our
Heart Helpline on 0300 330
3311.