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Electrical Cardioversion for Atrial Fibrillation
You may take an anticoagulant medicine, such as warfarin, for a few weeks before and a few weeks after cardioversion. How long you take anticoagulants will depend on how long you had atrial fibrillation before the cardioversion procedure.
You might not need to take anticoagulants before the procedure if you have a low risk of stroke. For example, if a test, transesophageal echocardiogram, has ruled out the presence of blood clots in the upper heart chambers (atria), you will not need anticoagulants before the procedure. But you will still need to take anticoagulants for at least a few weeks after cardioversion, even if no clots were seen.
Additional medicines to help prevent the return of heart rhythm problems (antiarrhythmics) also may be given before and after the procedure. Your risk of having atrial fibrillation again is greater if antiarrhythmics are not used after cardioversion.
After cardioversion, you will be monitored to ensure that you have a stable heart rhythm.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: November 2, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine John M. Miller, MD - Electrophysiology | |
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