What Are The Side Effects Of Medical Cardioversion Medication?

Posted on Mon, 16 Jun 2014

Question: Thank you. It is my understanding that when an individual is administered cardio version that medications may be prescribed in support of a regular heart rate. My question is what are those medications and any signigicant side effects? Thank you for the chance to ask this question.

Answered by Dr. Hardik Thakker (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
please read detailed response

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX

Greetings from health care magic!!! I am Dr Thakker and shall be answering your question.

Medical cardioversion is a mode of restoring the heart rhythm back to normal. The medicines used for that purpose act on the sodium channels/calcium channels in the heart as well as the pacemaker. They have side effects depending of the drug used.

I would like you to tell me which drug was used in your case, so that I can inform you about those side effects.

Side effects of commonly used agents like amiodarone, metoprolol, diltiazem, ibutilide, flecainide etc are:

Rash, arrhhythima common for all agents

Thyroid dysfunction, lung fibrosis, gum hypertrophy---amiodarone

Bradycardia which is slow heart rate--beta blockers like esmolol, metoprolol

Leg swelling, constipation, fatigue--calcium channel blockers

Sudden cardiac death---flecainide, ecainide

I hope this helps you out. If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to write back to me.

Yours sincerely,
Dr Thakker.

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D