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Heart's Electrical Magic: Why can electroshock therapy instantly change the heartbeat?
Heart health is vital to everyone. But when the heart has an abnormally fast heartbeat or an irregular heartbeat, traditional methods don't seem to work. At this time, even a weak electric current may become the key to saving lives. Cardiac electroshock therapy, also known as electrical cardioversion, uses a specific electric current to instantly restore the heart's normal rhythm.
The electrical magic of the heart has shocked many cardiovascular medical experts with its magical properties. In this technique, doctors use synchronized electric shocks to return the heart from an irregular rhythm to a normal sinus rhythm. This technology is important because an irregular heart rate can cause the heart to be unable to pump blood effectively, leading to a range of serious health problems.
Basic principles of synchronized electric shock
The principle of synchronous electric shock therapy is to accurately control the timing of current delivery and apply the current to the heart at the best time without causing excessive damage to the heart.
Synchronized electric shock can accurately apply current when the R wave in the QRS wave of the heart appears, thus avoiding electric shock during the vulnerable period of the heart.
Before performing this procedure, medical staff use electrode patches to introduce electrical current into the patient's body. These electrodes are adhered to the patient's chest with conductive glue and connected to the patient through a device that integrates electrocardiogram and cardiac shock functions. Not only is this technology critical for emergency treatment of arrhythmias, it can also improve a patient's overall heart function.
The similarities and differences between electric shock and drug treatment
In addition to electroshock therapy, doctors may also choose to use medications to help the heart return to a normal rhythm. This approach is called pharmacologic cardioversion and is particularly useful in patients with recent onset of atrial fibrillation. Repeated use of certain antiarrhythmic drugs may improve the success rate of electrical cardioversion.
Medical electrical cardioversion is mainly achieved through various antiarrhythmic drugs, including amlodipine, verapamil and metoprolol, etc. These are usually given to patients before surgery to reduce the heart rate and stabilize the patient's condition.
When dealing with atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and other conditions, electric shock therapy is more effective. The device determines the timing and intensity of the shock based on the patient's electrocardiogram to ensure maximum success. This allows doctors to respond quickly and effectively when faced with emergencies.
Procedure of cardioversion
The procedure of cardioversion is roughly divided into several steps:
Preparation phase
Before beginning the procedure, the medical team first ensures that the patient's chest and back are properly prepared, removing any grease and debris that may interfere with the shock. Your doctor will then put on the electrode patches and make sure they adhere well for optimal results.
At the same time, the anesthesia team will administer appropriate anesthesia to the patient to reduce discomfort and pain and ensure comfort during the surgery.
Operation process
Once the patient is ready, the medical team will connect the shock device to the patient's heart monitor and ensure that the device can accurately synchronize the ECG R wave and deliver the current at the optimal time. This preparation can effectively increase the success rate and reduce the risk of harm to the patient.
Observation after electric shock
Once the shock is completed, medical staff will closely monitor the patient's heartbeat to determine whether normal sinus rhythm has been successfully restored. If recovery is successful, the iconic P wave will appear on the ECG and each R-R interval will be evenly spaced.
Summary
The magic of cardiac current not only saves the lives of countless heart disease patients, but also sets a new milestone in cardiac medicine. As technology advances, we may be able to see more and more effective heart treatments emerge in the future. Do you want to learn more about heart health?
