What Is Cardioversion?

Cardioversion is a quick, painless procedure for treating arrhythmias. It restores the heart’s regular rhythm by applying electrical shocks through patches placed on the patient’s chest and torso.

What’s an Arrhythmia?

An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. There are many causes of arrhythmias, but the most common include lifestyle choices, heart conditions, and age.

Some of the most common symptoms of an arrhythmia include:

• A sensation of fluttering or irregular heartbeat (palpitations) 
• Weakness
• Tiredness (fatigue)
• Low blood pressure
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Heart failure
• Collapse and cardiac arrest
• Difficulty feeding (in babies)

Preparing for Cardioversion

Before your procedure, we may shave your chest to ensure the patches can securely attach to your skin. We also recommend avoiding using lotions, powders, and ointments the day before your procedure.

What to Expect

We will place you under general anesthesia before the procedure. You will be fully sedated during the procedure, and it is entirely painless.

An electric shock will be given to the heart through patches on the chest. We may administer additional shocks if the initial shock does not restore a regular heartbeat. This is entirely normal and painless, and there is no limit to how many cardioversions a patient can receive.

After Cardioversion

After the procedure, we will closely monitor your heartbeat and blood pressure as you wake up. Typically patients go home the same day as their procedure.

If an arrhythmia occurs again, we may perform additional cardioversions to reset your heartbeat.