title: [The risk of direct current countershock].
abstract: Direct current cardioversion (DCC) is a procedure commonly used to restore the sinus rhythm in patients with supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. Its safety, regarding the use of electric current, is still a matter of controversy and debate. The patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter, supraventricular or ventricular tachycardia represent a broad spectrum of clinical conditions and it is difficult to draw the conclusions. The high success rate of DCC in restoring the sinus rhythm, may be partly responsible for enhancing and revealing proarrhythmic properties of antiarrhythmic drugs. The deaths described as a complications of DCC were mainly due to the proarrhythmia and less common to the progression of the pathologic process. The embolic, arrhythmic and anesthetic complications of DCC can be prevented if the known recommendations of performing the DCC are followed. The authors review critically the literature data about the complications of the procedure and come to the conclusion of safety of DCC.
authors.affiliation: Katedra i Klinika Kardiologii AM we Wrocławiu.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gajek
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zyśko
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy*; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors