
It is often used to treat atrial fibrillation (AFib). Why might I need a chemical cardioversion?Ĭhemical cardioversion can help to treat a number of different abnormal heart rhythms. It allows the heart to reset itself back into a normal rhythm, like when you reboot your computer to reset it. Cardioversion upsets the abnormal signaling. Some also raise the risk of life-threatening rhythms that can lead to sudden death. Some abnormal heart rhythms raise your risk of stroke. This can keep your heart from pumping enough blood to the body. The heart might beat very quickly, not leaving it enough time to fill with blood between beats. Many problems can upset this signaling pathway and lead to abnormal heart rhythms. This helps the heart contract in a coordinated way. As it travels, the signal triggers nearby parts of the heart to contract. The signal quickly travels down the heart’s conducting system on the way to the ventricles, the 2 lower chambers of the heart. This node is in the right atrium, the upper right chamber of the heart. These cells are in the sinoatrial (SA) node. Normally, a special group of cells begin the electrical signal to start your heartbeat.

This is where an energy shock is used to bring back a normal heart rhythm. It is different from electrical cardioversion.

In chemical cardioversion, medicines are used to get the heart back to a normal rhythm. This procedure is used when the heart is beating very fast or irregular. Cardioversion is a procedure used to return an abnormal heartbeat to a normal rhythm.
