Nursing Guide: Cardioversion vs Defibrillation
Cardioversion is a corrective procedure where an electrical shock is delivered to the heart to convert, or change, an abnormal heart rhythm back to normal sinus rhythm. Most elective or “non-emergency” cardioversions are performed to treat atrial fibrillation (A Fib) or atrial flutter (AFL), non-life threatening abnormal rhythms in the top of the heart.
Defibrillation is the termination of a fast, erratic, and often fatal heart rate by delivering a high-energy electrical shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm.
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