The aim of this study is to identify the one electrode position out of two most commonly used for external electrical cardioversion of typical atrial flutter, which needs less delivered energy and less needed number of shocks for successful cardioversion.
Typical atrial flutter is the second-most prevalent atrial tachyarrhythmia. No guidelines for treatment exist and few studies investigate treatment of atrial flutter. Mostly, guidelines for atrial fibrillation are followed for treatment of atrial flutter. Atrial flutter has a different pathomechanism as atrial fibrillation, therefore special guidelines for treatment are needed. Among drug treatment and ablation procedures, external electrical cardioversion is commonly used, especially for treatment of acute symptomatic patients. This study may help to further define safe and successful procedures for electrical cardioversion of atrial flutter.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
96
external biphasic electrical cardioversion with step-up-protocol of 50-75-100-150-200 Joules if necessary with antero-posterior electrode position until restoration of normal sinus rhythm
external biphasic electrical cardioversion with step-up protocol of 50-75-100-150-200 Joules if necessary with antero-lateral electrode position until restoration of normal sinus rhythm
University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Heart Center
Hamburg, Germany
Number of Successfully Cardioverted Participants for Each Electrode Position
After restoration of normal sinus rhythm for 30 seconds and longer by electrical countershock a cardioversion is counted as successful.
Time frame: 30 seconds after cardioversion
Mean Number of Cardioversion Shocks
Time frame: 30 seconds after cardioversion
Mean Energy Requirement for Successful Cardioversion
Overall energy in the mean (number of joules) necessary for successful cardioversion of all patients per group.
Time frame: 30 seconds after cardioversion
Number of Participants Succesfully Cardioverted With First Shock in Each Electrode Position
Number of participants successfully cardioverted to normal sinus rhythm with one shock of 50 Joules.
Time frame: 30 seconds after cardioversion
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