Does elective direct-current cardioversion cause myocardial damage in patients with atrial fibrillation?
Elective DC cardioversion can cause transient ST-segment elevation without biomarker or scintigraphic evidence of myocardial damage.
Elective direct-current cardioversion was performed in three patients with atrial fibrillation. Transient ST-segment elevation on monitored leads, lasting seconds, was recorded after cardioversion in all three patients. LDH, CPK isoenzymes, and myocardial scintigraphy did not reveal myocardial damage. Elective cardioversion should be performed with caution, for the potential for cardiac damage cannot be ignored.
Chun et al. (Thu,) studied this question.