Chemical Cardioversion

Home care

Follow these guidelines when caring for yourself at home:

• You can go back to your usual activities once you feel back to normal.

• Your health care provider may prescribe medicines to stop the abnormal heart rhythm from coming back. Take these medicines as directed. If you have certain rhythm problems, such as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, you may need to take blood thinners for at least 4 weeks after a cardioversion. If possible, don't schedule any surgeries or dental procedures during this time. This is so you won't have to stop taking the blood thinners. Stopping the medicines can raise your risk for stroke.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your health care provider, or as advised. You may need more testing. This might be an echocardiogram or event (holter) monitor. An event monitor checks your heart rhythm. Not all people with irregular heart rhythms have symptoms.

Call 911

Call 911 if you have: 

• Pain in your chest, arm, shoulder, neck, or upper back

• Trouble breathing

• You have problems speaking or seeing

• Weakness in an arm or leg

• You can move your arm or leg on one side of your body

• Fainting

When to call your doctor

Contact your doctor right away if:

• You have weakness, dizziness, or lightheadedness.

• You feel like your heart is fluttering or beating fast, hard, or irregularly (palpitations).