Consumer Information

Cardioversion

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Cardioversion (KAR-d-o-ver-shun) is when a machine called a defibrillator (d-FIB-rih-la-tur) gives a short electric shock to the heart. Special cells inside the heart send electrical impulses to the heart muscles telling the heart to beat. These cells are called pacemaker cells. A normal heart beats about 70 to 80 times a minute. During cardioversion, caregivers use a machine called a defibrillator (d-FIB-rih-la-tur) to give a short electric shock to the heart. This shock is given at a certain time during the heartbeat to help your heartbeat return to normal.
The heart has 4 chambers or rooms called the right and left atria (A-tree-uh) and ventricles (VEN-trik-ulls). Blood vessels bring blood from your body to the right atrium in your heart. The blood moves into the right ventricle where it is pumped into the lungs to get oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood goes into the left atrium and down into the left ventricle. The left ventricle pumps the blood out to the body where the oxygen can be used.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

RISKS:

It is very rare to have problems caused by cardioversion. With some arrhythmias, blood stays in the heart too long and blood clots can form. Cardioversion can cause these clots to break away and travel through the blood. If a clot gets stuck in a small blood vessel, the tissue beyond the clot cannot get enough blood. The tissue may then start to die, which is called an infarction (in-FARK-shun). If a clot travels to the brain it can cause a stroke. Even with cardioversion your heartbeat may not return to normal.
Even with cardioversion, your heartbeat may not return to normal. Sometimes after successful cardioversion, your heart may return to the abnormal heartbeat.

GETTING READY:

The Week Before Your Cardioversion:

Ask your caregiver if you need to stop taking aspirin or any other blood thinning medicines before your procedure.
Ask your caregiver before taking any over-the-counter medicine, vitamins, herbs, food supplements, or laxatives.
You may be given heart medicine for 1 to 2 days before being treated with cardioversion. This medicine is used to help make the heart sensitive to the electrical charge. This helps the heart change back to a normal beat during cardioversion.
You may need blood tests before your procedure. Talk to your caregiver about these or other tests you may need. Write down the date, time and location for each test.
You may also need a test to make sure there are no blood clots in the heart. Talk to your caregiver about these or other tests you may need. Write down the date, time and location for each test.
You may also be given blood thinning medicine before having the cardioversion.

The Night Before Your Cardioversion:

You may be given a pill to take to help you sleep.
Ask caregivers about directions for eating and drinking.

The Day Of Your Cardioversion:

Write down the correct date, time, and location of your procedure.
Ask your caregiver before taking any medicine on the day of cardioversion. These medicines include insulin, diabetic pills, high blood pressure pills, or heart pills. Bring a list of your medicines or the pill bottles with you to the hospital.
Do not wear contact lenses the day of the cardioversion. You may wear your glasses.
If you are staying in the hospital after cardioversion, bring your personal belongings with you. These include your bathrobe, toothbrush, denture cup (if needed), hairbrush, and slippers. Do not wear jewelry or bring money to the hospital.
An anesthesiologist (an-iss-thee-z-ALL-o-jist) may talk to you before your cardioversion. This is the caregiver who gives you medicine to make you sleepy during cardioversion.
Make sure you have signed an informed consent. You or a close family member may be asked to sign a legal piece of paper (consent form). It gives your caregiver permission to do a cardioversion. Be sure all your questions have been answered before you sign this form.

TREATMENT:

What Will Happen: You will be asked to change into a hospital gown. You may be given medicine in your IV to help you relax or make you drowsy. This medicine makes it so you cannot remember having the cardioversion. You will be taken to the room where the cardioversion will be done. You may be given extra oxygen through a thin tube in your nose or a mask over your face. An EKG test may be done to watch your heartbeat before and after the cardioversion.

After Your Cardioversion: You will be taken to a recovery room. You will be there until you are fully awake. You may then be able to go home or will be taken back to your room. Do not get out of bed until your caregiver says it is OK.

Waiting Room: Your family can wait in the waiting room until the cardioversion is done. Your doctor or nurse can find them to let them know how the cardioversion went. If your family leaves, ask them to leave a phone number where they can be reached. Someone should drive you home when it is time for you to leave. Do not drive home alone.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

You cannot make it to your cardioversion appointment on time.
You have questions or concerns about cardioversion.
You have a fever (increased body temperature). The cardioversion may need to be done later when you are well.
The problems for which you are having the cardioversion get worse.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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