Cerebral thromboembolism after direct current cardioversion for pure atrial flutter.

Liaudet, L; Kehtari, R; Enrico, J F · Intensive Care Med · 1997

case_report · Level V

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Abstract

The need for prophylactic anticoagulation before electrical cardioversion for atrial arrhythmias is clearly established in the case of atrial fibrillation. By contrast, such prophylaxis is not a current standard of care before cardioversion for pure atrial flutter, since this arrhythmia seems not to increase the risk of postcardioversion embolism. We present a patient who developed two cerebral embolisms 24 h after electrical cardioversion for pure atrial flutter. To our knowledge, this observation has not been previously reported.

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