Jump to content

Choose locationChoose Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Open I want to choose my medical group or hospital
    • Clear my location
Change Location

We've expanded your view

You are now viewing all services in the Sutter Health network. You can change your location above to narrow your view to a medical group, hospital, city or zip.
Sutter Health
  • Video Visits
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Treatments & Services
  • Locations
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Video Visits
    • Find Doctors
    • Find Locations
    • Treatments & Services
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Symptom Checker
    • Get Care Today
    • Diseases & Conditions
    • Health & Wellness
    • Classes & Events
    • Research & Clinical Trials
    • For Patients
    • About Sutter Health
    • Giving
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
    • News
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Other Business Services
Close Search
  • Home
  • Services
  • Heart and Vascular
  • Cardioversion
Content

Cardioversion to Correct Arrhythmia

If you have an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), your doctor may suggest cardioversion treatments to normalize your heartbeat. Options include:

  • Chemical or pharmacologic cardioversion — Certain medications, taken by mouth or delivered intravenously, can help regulate heart rhythms. Your doctor may direct you to take medications at home or administer them in the hospital. You might experience results in minutes, or it may take days.
  • Electrical cardioversion — This scheduled treatment resets the heartbeat by sending one or more electric shocks to the heart through electrodes placed on your chest (or chest and back). The treatment is done under sedation so you don’t feel anything, and it takes about 30 minutes. Your doctor might recommend this procedure for atrial fibrillation, or AFib, the most common type of arrhythmia. Your doctor can immediately see if cardioversion restores your heartbeat to normal.
  • Cardiac ablation — This procedure, also called catheter ablation or radiofrequency ablation, uses electrical (or sometimes cold) energy delivered through tubes to destroy abnormal heart tissue that’s causing arrhythmia.

If you have ongoing, dangerous heart rhythms, your doctor may advise an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, a small device inserted in your chest to sense your heartbeat and deliver immediate electrical pulses as needed.

  • Emergency cardioversion — Also called defibrillation, this is used for life-threatening arrhythmia, such as a sudden heart attack. Powerful electric shocks delivered by paddles placed on your chest (or chest and back) briefly stop all electrical impulses to your heart and then allow the normal heartbeat to resume.

Chat with a Referral Specialist Monday - Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm PDT

Or call (888) 834-1788.

Related Content

  • Electrophysiology (Arrhythmia)
  • Heart and Vascular Services
  • Cardiovascular Imaging and Diagnostic Services
  • Cardiac Ablation

Doctor Profiles

The following doctors are part of the Sutter Health network. Learn about the doctors on this site.
Steven Kang, M.D.

Steven Kang, M.D.

  • Electrophysiology

View All Related Doctors

Services Near You

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center | Summit Campus

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center | Summit Campus

350 Hawthorne Avenue

Oakland, CA 94609

(510) 655-4000

View All Related Locations

The Sutter Health Network of Care
Expertise to fit your needs
Primary Care

Check-ups, screenings and sick visits for adults and children.

Specialty Care

Expertise and advanced technologies in all areas of medicine.

Emergency Care

For serious accidents, injuries and conditions that require immediate medical care.

Urgent Care

After-hours, weekend and holiday services.

Walk-In Care

Convenient walk-in care clinics for your non-urgent health needs.

About Sutter

  • About Our Network
  • Annual Report
  • Awards
  • Community Benefit
  • Contact Us
  • News
  • Giving
  • Find Care

  • Birth Centers
  • Care Centers
  • Emergency Rooms
  • Hospitals
  • Imaging
  • Labs
  • Surgery Centers
  • Urgent Care
  • Walk-In Care
  • View All >
  • Featured Services

  • Behavioral Health
  • Cancer Services
  • Family Medicine
  • Home Health and Hospice
  • Orthopedics
  • Pediatrics
  • Pregnancy
  • Primary Care
  • Women's Health
  • View All >
  • Patient Resources

  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Classes and Events
  • Estimate Costs
  • Flu Resources
  • Health and Wellness
  • Medical Records
  • Medicare
  • My Health Online
  • Pay a Bill
  • Symptom Checker
  • Our Team

  • For Employees
  • Physician Careers
  • Recruiting Events
  • Sutter Careers
  • Vendors
  • Volunteers
    • ADA Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    • LinkedIn Opens new window
    • YouTube Opens new window
    • Facebook Opens new window
    • Twitter Opens new window
    • Glassdoor Opens new window
    • Instagram Opens new window

    Copyright © 2021 Sutter Health. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U.S. Patent & Trademark office.

    Cookie Policy

    We use cookies to give you the best possible user experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences

    Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences