Are you hospitalized after cardioversion?

Procedure. For a chemical cardioversion, you'll be in the hospital for two to three days, so we can closely monitor your heart function during treatment. You'll receive drugs, such as dofetilide or sotalol, used to treat heart rhythm problems.

How long do you stay in hospital after cardioversion?

You'll most likely go home the same day as your cardioversion. However, you can't drive for 24 hours because you'll be sleepy from the anesthesia. You'll be able to eat and drink after your procedure. Ask your provider when you can go back to work.

What is the next step after cardioversion?

After cardioversion, people typically take medication to stabilize their heart rate (anti-arrhythmics) and ultimately prevent atrial fibrillation from recurring.

Do you stay overnight for cardioversion?

How long will I be in hospital for cardioversion? You will usually only need to go to hospital for part of the day, although some people need to stay overnight depending on their medical condition.

What is recovery like after cardioversion?

You may feel weak or tired for the rest of the day, due to the medication you were given to make you sleepy. Be careful as you walk or climb stairs. Do not drive, use dangerous machinery, go to work or make any important decisions for 24 hours, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

Cardioversion of Atrial Flutter

Will I feel better immediately after cardioversion?

After cardioversion, many people feel immediate relief from their arrhythmia symptoms. You may need to receive further treatment or take medications to continue to treat arrhythmia.

How long does a cardioversion operation take?

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.

How serious is cardioversion?

A cardioversion is usually a safe procedure, and serious problems are unlikely. There is a small risk of blood clots that may travel from your heart to your body. Your medical team will be aware of this, and they'll give you blood thinning medication to help prevent this from happening.

Can you walk after cardioversion?

After Your Electrical Cardioversion Procedure

A family member or friend should drive you home and stay with you for at least the rest of the day. You should not attempt to work, exercise or do anything strenuous until your doctor tells you it is okay to do so.

What is the success rate of cardioversion?

The success rate of cardioversion with atrial fibrillation is generally better than 90 percent. Chances of success are lower when the atrial fibrillation has been present for more than several months or when the left atrium is very enlarged.

How many times can you get a cardioversion?

There is really no limit to the number of cardioversions that people can have but at some point of time, we figure out that either it is a futile strategy or patients tend to get frustrated. But when it is a necessity that our patients who've had 20, 25 cardioversions also.

How long do you stay on blood thinners after cardioversion?

You need to take a blood thinner for at least 3 weeks before and for 4 weeks after the procedure. This is to help prevent blood clot and stroke.

Is cardioversion a permanent fix for afib?

While electrical cardioversion may be effective at converting the heart back into normal sinus rhythm, it has a low success rate in keeping it there, and thus may require multiple tries. It also doesn't cure afib.

What next if cardioversion does not work?

If cardioversion isn't an option for you or you tried it and afib returned, you may be a candidate for a treatment called ablation. Cardiac ablation destroys specific areas of heart tissue causing your irregular heart rhythm.

What does the nurse do after cardioversion?

If cardioversion is successful, the patient's cardiac rhythm will convert to normal sinus rhythm and he'll have adequate peripheral pulses and blood pressure. Continue to monitor the patient's vital signs, oxygen saturation, and ECG. Provide supplemental oxygen as long as needed.

What heart rate is too high with AFib?

The most obvious symptom of atrial fibrillation (AF) is palpitations caused by a fast and irregular heartbeat. A normal heart rate, when you are resting, should be between 60 and 100 beats a minute. In atrial fibrillation, it may be over 140 beats a minute.

How long do you have to be in AFib before cardioversion?

Current guidelines support the well-established clinical practice that patients who present with atrial fibrillation (AF) of less than 48 hours duration should be considered for cardioversion, even in the absence of pre-existing anticoagulation.

What is the most successful treatment for AFib?

Cardioversion. Cardioversion may be recommended for some people with atrial fibrillation. It involves giving the heart a controlled electric shock to try to restore a normal rhythm. Cardioversion is usually carried out in hospital so the heart can be carefully monitored.

What sedation is used for cardioversion?

Agents frequently used include propofol, etomidate, and midazolam (with or without flumazenil).

Can you live with AFib without blood thinners?

While patients who have elevated stroke risks may be able to manage symptoms of AFib — such as a racing heartbeat — with other medications or medical procedures, they will still need to take blood thinners to protect against stroke.

Can you have a stroke after a cardioversion?

Post-cardioversion strokes accounted for 6.4% of strokes in patients with paroxysmal/persistent AF. Of the 100 cardioversions leading to an ischemic event, 77 were acute and 23 were elective, 63 events occurred in patients not using anticoagulation, and 5 patients had periprocedural INR < 2.

Does cardioversion weaken the heart?

It might make things worse: It's unlikely, but there's a small chance that cardioversion could damage your heart or lead to more arrhythmias. Irritated skin: This often happens where the paddles are applied. The doctor can give you a cream to treat it.

What are the 4 rhythms eligible for cardioversion?

Rhythms that can be cardioverted are atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF), supraventricular tachycardias (SVT), ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.

Who is not a candidate for cardioversion?

You may not be a good candidate if: Your arrhythmia is due to drug toxicity or another known cause. You have a blood clot in your heart. You are not taking anticoagulant medicines and are not able to have a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE).

What are the fatal heart rhythms?

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) are lethal cardiac arrhythmias, claiming a quarter million lives per year from sudden cardiac death (SCD).