17/08/2025
SYNCHRONIZED CARDIOVERSION is a technique used to restore the heart's normal conduction, specifically at the SA node, in patients with unstable tachyarrhythmias. When dealing with conditions like atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, and SVT, synchronized cardioversion may be indicated for patients who are experiencing unstable tachycardic rhythms.
This technique is primarily used in patients with organized cardiac rhythms who are in an unstable condition. These include patients with:
💓SVT (Supraventricular tachycardia)
💓Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter
💓Ventricular tachycardia
Now, let's talk about UNSYNCHRONIZED CARDIOVERSION, also known as "defibrillation." This involves delivering an unsynchronized shock randomly during the cardiac cycle. It is typically used to restore the heart's normal conduction at the SA node in patients with ventricular tachycardia without a pulse or with ventricular fibrillation, which cannot generate a pulse.
Unsynchronized cardioversion, or defibrillation, is used in the following situations:
💓Ventricular fibrillation (V-fib)
💓Pulseless ventricular tachycardia (Pulseless V-tach)
The key difference between synchronized cardioversion and unsynchronized cardioversion (defibrillation) lies in the timing of the shocks. Synchronized cardioversion delivers shocks during the QRS complex, while unsynchronized cardioversion (defibrillation) delivers shocks randomly at any time during the cardiac cycle.
