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Cardioversion

Heart Rhythm Conditions | Last Active: May 17 7:32pm | Replies (24)

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Profile picture for gravelgertie @gravelgertie

My pulse is 120 and I have had one cardioversion to get me out of Afib. My cardiologist has suggested that I have an ablation which I am not sure if I need or want. Will having another cardioversion lower my pulse? I have a Kardiomobile 1-lead and a blood pressure monitor.

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Replies to "My pulse is 120 and I have had one cardioversion to get me out of Afib...."

@gravelgertie There is no way of telling unless you try a cardioversion. It may just work. It should take only one cardioversion, but each session comprises three zaps with the second and third having successively higher joules. If none of them works, you go home, or remain in hospital if you need urgent care.

An ablation will probably work if the EP finds the correct area to ablate. Sometimes the culprit is the AV node, in which case it may be that you'll need to have it neutralized via an ablation and a pacemaker installed. That's the last option, with ablating another way/place first, or a cardioversion.

Your heart is a muscle. It can get fatigued and/or damaged. So, the wisdom is that you should not tolerate what is arguably 'tachycardia' or a tachyarrhythmia higher than 100 BPM for more than 24 hours. If the problem doesn't self-limit inside of 24 hours, get to an ER for care. If your HR is higher than 140 BPM, it may mean a higher risk of stroke (which I can explain in another post if you're really interested), and you should seek help if it doesn't correct inside of 4 hours.

@gravelgertie
A cardioversion is to bring your heart rhythm back to normal.

An ablation is to kill the cell in your heart generating false electrical signals that create PACs, and PVCs, and can be source causing AFIB, VFIB, and rhythm issues.