Electrical Cardioversion
Electrical cardioversion is one of the most popular treatments for patients with a cardiac rhythm disorder or arrhythmia. An arrhythmia is an abnormal heartbeat that can be too fast, too slow, skip beats or have extra beats.
Causes of arrhythmia can range from a problem with your heart’s pacemaker to obstruction of an electrical pathway in the heart. Risk factors associated with arrhythmias include:
- Heart disease
- Stress
- Drug abuse
- Diabetes
- Infection
- Injury
During electrical cardioversion, a physician sends an electrical current through the heart to correct an irregular beat. During the procedure, a tranquilizer and general anesthetic are used to relax the patient’s muscles and make them feel asleep. A physician will then place metal paddles on the patient’s chest and back and run an electrical current through the chest for a fraction of a second that will hopefully return the heart to a normal beat pattern.
Norton Heart Care is a leading provider of heart care for people throughout Louisville and Southern Indiana. Focused on outcomes and quality, our highly skilled cardiologists and surgeons work side by side with experienced nurses to care for both adults and children. Heart disease comes in many forms, and Norton Heart Care offers a wide range of innovative treatment techniques in multiple locations - providing advanced, high-quality care close to home. For more information about Norton Heart Care, call (502) 629-1234.
This test or treatment is offered at these facilities:
