Cardioversion and the Risk of Subsequent Stroke or Systemic Embolism and Death in Emergency Department Patients With Acute Atrial Fibrillation or Flutter.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Guideline recommendations for the emergency department cardioversion of patients with acute atrial fibrillation/flutter have recently changed. This was related to several studies that found a higher-than-expected risk of subsequent stroke or systemic embolism in cardioverted atrial fibrillation/flutter patients. We sought to confirm an elevated rate of stroke, systemic embolism, or death following emergency department cardioversion to normal sinus rhythm compared with similar patients who were not converted.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study combined 4 datasets of atrial fibrillation/flutter patients seen at 25 emergency departments in Ontario, Canada, 2000-2012, who were all eligible for cardioversion. We linked patients to province-wide datasets to determi

SUBMITTER: Atzema CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11923754 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature