A medical procedure by which an abnormally fast heart rate (tachycardia) or cardiac arrhythmia is converted to a normal rhythm using electricity or drugs. Synchronized electrical cardioversion uses a therapeutic dose of electric current to the heart at a specific moment in the cardiac cycle.
Electrical cardioversion is a procedure in which an electric current is used to reset the heart's rhythm back to its regular pattern (normal sinus rhythm). The low-voltage electric current enters the body through metal paddles or patches applied to the chest wall.  Cardioversion. Cardioversion is a medical procedure by which an abnormally fast heart rate or cardiac arrhythmia is converted to a normal rhythm, using electricity or drugs. Synchronized electrical cardioversion uses a therapeutic dose of electric current to the heart, at a specific moment in the cardiac cycle.  Cardioversion refers to the process of restoring the heart's normal rhythm by applying a controlled electric shock to the exterior of the chest. Application of the shock is synchronized to the QRS complex. Cardioversion is used to slow the heart or to restore the heart's normal sinus rhythm when drug therapy is ineffective at doing so. Definition of CARDIOVERSION. : application of an electric shock in order to restore normal heartbeat. ADVERTISEMENT.  Cardioversion is a medical procedure by which an abnormally fast heart rate (tachycardia) or cardiac arrhythmia is converted to a normal rhythm using electricity or drugs. Synchronized electrical cardioversion uses a therapeutic dose of electric current to the heart at a specific moment in the cardiac cycle. Synchronized electrical cardioversion is used to treat hemodynamically unstable supraventricular (or narrow complex) tachycardias, including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. It is also used in the emergent treatment of wide complex tachycardias, including ventricular tachycardia, when a pulse is present. Heart-Healthy Living. Subscribe to our Heart-Healthy Living e-newsletter to stay up to date on heart-health topics. Cardioversion is a medical procedure done to restore a normal heart rhythm for people who have certain types of abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias).  Cardioversion (KAR-de-o-VER-shun) is a procedure that can restore a fast or irregular heartbeat to a normal rhythm. A fast or irregular heartbeat is called an arrhythmia (ah-RITH-me-ah). Arrhythmias can prevent your heart from pumping enough blood to your body. Doctors use cardioversion to correct fast or irregular heartbeats. Cardioversion is done two ways: using an electrical procedure or using medicines. For the electrical procedure, your heart is given low-energy shocks to trigger a normal rhythm. You're temporarily put to sleep before the shocks are given. A problem with any part of this process can cause an arrhythmia. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. Doctors use cardioversion to correct fast or irregular heartbeats. Cardioversion is done two ways: using an electrical procedure or using medicines. For the electrical procedure, your heart is given low-energy shocks to trigger a normal rhythm. You're temporarily put to sleep before the shocks are given. CARDIOVERSION: Synchronization during cardioversion of ventricular tachycardia; an arrow above each QRS complex denotes the period in cardiac depolarization when a shock will be delivered to terminate the rhythm. The restoration of normal sinus rhythm by chemical or electrical means. Application of the shock is synchronized to the QRS complex. Cardioversion is used to slow the heart or to restore the heart's normal sinus rhythm when drug therapy is ineffective at doing so. Cardioversion: The conversion of a cardiac rhythm or electrical pattern to another, generally from an abnormal one to a normal one. Cardioversion can be accomplished by using medications or by electrical shock with a special defibrillator. 
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/atrial-fibrillation/electrical-cardioversion-for-atrial-fibrillation http://www.definitions.net/definition/cardioversion http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/cardioversion http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardioversion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardioversion http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cardioversion/basics/definition/PRC-20012879 http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/crv/ http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/crv/ http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/cardioversion http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=7482
cardioversion definition