Guide To Cardioversion
Risks And Precautions

Cardioversion does not tend to have serious complications when done in a clinical setting. One of the most significant risks of this procedure is dislodging blood clots within the heart. Suppose a patient's arrhythmia has caused them to develop blood clots inside their heart. Thus, cardioversion may cause the clots to circulate throughout the body instead. This might cause a stroke, clot in the lungs, or other life-threatening issues. If individuals are prone to blood clots, their doctor may do an imaging test before the procedure to make sure they do not have any. Patients may also need to take anticoagulants for several weeks before the procedure.
Another potential risk linked to cardioversion is that patients may develop new heart rhythm issues. However, this is rare. Doctors also usually know within minutes if their patients have new heart rhythm issues. The problem can frequently be corrected before patients even wake up. Patients may also have some mild burns on their skin under the electrodes.
