Electrical treatment of cardiac arrhythmias: Defibrillation and cardioversion

✍ Scribed by Richard E Kerber

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 751 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/s0196-0644(05)80459-7

✦ Synopsis

The passage of electrical current acrQss the chest and heart to terminate ventricular fibrillation (defibrillation) or organized supraventricular or ventficular arrhythmias (cardioversion) is effective and safe. This paper reviews the physiology, techniques, and rationale for defibrillation and cardioversion. New developments and future directions are discussed. Rapid defibrillation is the most important factor in survival of out-ofhospital ventficular fibrillation.